The creator and member of the band 98 Degrees was a guest on the State of Mind with Maurice Benard podcast and revealed the diet that saved his life when he considered ending it.
Jeff Timmons, 52, is the creator and member of the popular '90s band 98 Degrees. He recently sat down with Maurice Benard, Emmy Award winning star of General Hospital and host of mental health podcast State of Mind with Maurice Benard, and opened up about the dark times in his life and the diet that saved him when he wanted to end it, just as all his dreams of stardom were coming true.
Timmons shared with Benard about the major mental health issue he had when the band was first taking off. "It was when we first got signed, " He started, "We hadn't even broken yet, but when we got signed to Motown, they wanted us to be cool and urban, and I'm the corniest noncool guy ever."
"They would pick everything about me apart, I'm talking about the label. The way I was dressed, the way I'd bob my head in while listening to music, the way I dance, the way I'd sing, and I was like 'man I shouldn't be here', I started having an identity crisis of what I was supposed to be."
Their record label sent them to live in New York City to embrace a more urban lifestyle, and Timmons continued to spiral, "I just didn't feel well, and I really got to a point where it became very scary, that I thought maybe I might take my own life."
"You're going, 'This is what we wanted, we got signed to Motown, ' we're about to put a record out, and I'm walking around New York City, going, I could step in front of this cab and it would be over."
It reached a breaking point, and he called home for help. "I remember calling my mom, and I was dating this stripper, and I was just a mess. I called my mom, I'm like, 'I'm not feeling well. I've got to do something about this. I don't know what it is."
The band's manager sent Timmons to see a psychologist to try to get to the bottom of what was going on with his star, "He asked me what I was eating, and I said, 'Well I just drink beer all the time and I go eat spaghetti by the pound with nothing on it and I go to the corner store and I eat these pastries all the time."
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The psychologist suspected he knew what was going on and sent Timmons for testing, "He gave me this glucose tolerance test to where you take this sugary drink and you drink it over the course of several hours and I remember drinking the first drink and it knocked me right out, so long story short, it came back that my blood sugar was really low from my diet and my lifestyle and that I wasn't getting fuel to my brain. I had hypoglycemia." The doctor wanted him to do more than take medication. "He obviously put me on some medication to get me balanced at first, but he was like, 'You need to change your diet to a low-carb ketogenic type diet.' And it changed my whole life."
The medication and diet worked, and Timmons shared that he was eventually able to wean off the medication and control his hypoglycemia with diet and exercise. "I work out all the time. Of course, you want to work out for aesthetics, but I do it for mental health, physical health, spiritual health.""The reason I stay on the keto diet is not to be jacked or be skinny or have abs. The keto diet is a diet that physiologically puts you in a state of burning ketones, which is fat. It burns fat, so if you have low carbs, you're not burning sugar, you're constantly burning fat, which is a steady energy, and it keeps you satiated."
Timmons went on to say that the diet gives him mental stability and focus. He shared that he eats mainly steak, chicken, fish, eggs, and bacon. He has his blood work checked every 6 months, and while he notes the diet is not for everyone, "For me, when I don't stay on the diet I feel like crap, perform like crap, not pleasant to be around, and that's why I'm on it all the time."
He added that coffee is also a big part of his diet, "I didn't start drinking coffee until I got into my 40s. Now I need the energy, so I drink coffee, but I'll put butter in it or put coconut oil in it. It's called bulletproof coffee."
You can watch Timmons' entire episode of State of Mind with Maurice Benard below, on YouTube here, or find it wherever you get your podcasts.
"Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, bipolar, or depression, or simply want to cultivate a more positive mindset, theSTATE OF MIND PODCAST, hosted by 3 Time Emmy Award-Winning Actor, Maurice Benard, is a powerful resource to help you explore and improve your mental health and wellness."
"For over 30 years, Maurice has been sharing his personal journey with bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety, in an effort to break down the stigma and support others who may be struggling. As a New York Times bestselling author for his book 'Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital,' Maurice has inspired countless individuals with his honesty and bravery."
A new episode of State of Mind premieres every Sunday at noon EST. You can subscribe on YouTube and get notified when new episodes drop. General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC or catch up anytime on Hulu.
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