SUBWAY Chat with Jared Fogle {Giveaway}
Top o’ the Friday, to ya 
Thank you all for the sweet, sweet comments on my last post. It made me happy to read that you could feel the smile on my face as I wrote it – that is certainly true!
Today I’d like to share a very special interview. It’s no secret that I love SUBWAY – it’s been featured on the blog several times. It was also a mainstay in my diet during my first job at the Agency. Whether chicken breast or veggie delight, a foot long sub makes me happy (that’s what she said).
So imagine my (veggie) delight when I was contacted by the SUBWAY reps and asked if I would like to interview none other than the ultimate symbol of SUBWAY: Jared Fogle!
My answer, of course, was a resounding YES Almost everyone has probably heard of Jared in some way, shape or form. Whether you believe that he truly ate two SUBWAY sandwiches a day to lose all of that weight back in the day, he still serves as an inspiration for a very big community of people.
The best part? Jared was SO. NICE. We chatted early on a Friday morning while he was on his way to the airport to race in a 10K over the weekend. Totally casual – nothing forced. Having worked in PR, I know that sometimes interviews can be painful as the celebrity spokespeople try to get in all of their key messages about the brand. This time around, Jared was absolutely authentic – and I think it’s because the man lives and breathes SUBWAY every day. He knows the brand and it’s a major part of his life, but there is so much more to him than sandwiches. Read below to see what I mean – enjoy!
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I heard you’re currently training for a big race. How has that been going so far?
I’m training to complete the marathon in New York City and as we speak, I’m driving to the airport to fly out and do my first 10K tomorrow. This is coming from a person who has never run a mile in my life. I didn’t know how I would react mentally and physically but it’s been rewarding so far.
What does your training schedule look like?
I try to get at least three days of running in every week. Two of the days are shorter runs and the third day is a longer run. Right now I’m up to seven miles! The toughest thing for me is my travel schedule – fitting it all in and making sure that it becomes a priority. My schedule with SUBWAY makes me travel a lot and working out can be a tough chore.
What exactly are you working on during all of this travel?
You may see me in commercials from time to time! It requires me to travel up to 200 days a year visiting with people and doing some of the national PR initiatives – SUBWAY just launched their new breakfast menu so it’s been busy. We just completed a 5K fun run in Indianapolis and everybody who showed up got a free lowfat muffin melt. So I’ve been doing a lot of the breakfast initiatives and continuing to talk to the media. People still always ask a lot of questions about my story even though it’s been out so long.
What do people tend to ask you?
They almost always want to know if I really ate SUBWAY twice a day for a year – and I always have to tell them that yes, I did! But I also tell people that you don’t necessarily need to eat it like I did. Just eating it more often can have great benefits because so many of the options are good for you.
People also want to know how I keep the weight off – they say, “so you’ve lost 245 pounds but have you kept it off?” My answer to that is that it’s never easy to keep weight off and I think it’s definitely harder to keep it off than it is to lose it. When you’re losing it you get into the zone where you know what to do and how to lose, but when you get to your goal and you just want to live a normal life and eat normal foods, it’s easy to lose sight of what it took to lose the weight in the first place. But you can’t. You learn to do those things in moderation – and I do splurge plenty, but I just try to make sure I balance it out with the fruits and vegetables. So far, so good. Still eating SUBWAY a couple of days a week, too.
So what do you think are some of the current larger scale health issues?
I think obviously obesity is becoming such a huge issue – people say that either they are very, very health conscious or they just don’t care at all. But that said, I think we’re starting to see that middle ground continuing to get bigger and bigger. People want to change and you never know what’s going to inspire someone to want to change. It’s been humbling to know that I’ve been able to spark some of that.
Speaking of change, are you familiar with Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution?
I’m very intrigued by it and I think it’s great – any time you can bring positive attention toward eating healthy I think that’s a good thing. It’s going to take a lot of work for us to change our habits. We’re a country that overeats and fat is cheap. It’s going to take a lot of people like Jamie Oliver to turn the tide – and it’s not going to change overnight. Same with shows like the Biggest Loser. It gives people the hope, inspiration and will to change. It’s a combination of that and determination that will make us change – it’s going to have to be a true cultural shift.
What are some of your personal overarching life goals in terms of health?
My overall goal is to make sure I keep the weight off. I always say I worked way too hard to lose the 245 pounds to ever put it back on. But I’m also realistic to know that there will be times that I put a few pounds back on. It can be very easy to fall back into old habits, especially during the holidays, etc. and a few pounds can lead to a few more. It’s a slippery slope where you can easily go down the wrong path.
My biggest thing is to realize that I’m now 32 and it takes a lot more work for me these days to lose the weight than it did 10 years ago. It’s a fact of nature that we have to come to grips with and it’s a critical part of weight loss to realize it will be a little more challenging every year that goes by because of metabolism, life circumstances – such as being married, having kids, etc. There are always new challenges being thrown at you that can forge healthy eating if you’re not careful. That’s something people really need to keep in mind. Do a self-reevaluation after each year.
Best tips and advice for my readers?
One of my big things to work on this year besides the running effort is really trying to spread my calories out more throughout the day. For example, increasing my food intake at breakfast where I used to not even eat breakfast. I’ve learned now that me spreading out calories throughout the day so that I’m not so famished when I get to the next meal is better for my body. It’s better to take my intake and spread it out rather than in big lumps, and it has helped me avoid overeating during meals.
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Big thanks to Jared and the SUBWAY crew for this opportunity. I had a great time chatting!
EAT FRESH GIVEAWAY
To celebrate the launch of SUBWAY’s new breakfast menu, the team would like to give THREE lucky Eating Bender readers a $10 gift card! That’s two $5 foot longs, my friends (and change for tax)
To enter, you can choose one (or all) of the following:
- Leave a comment telling me which breakfast item you would most like to order
- Tweet the following message and leave a comment to let me know you did: Check out the @subwayfreshbuzz giveaway on @EatingBender! http://bit.ly/9eQwwx
- “Like” SUBWAY on Facebook and leave a comment to let me know you did
- Not on Twitter or Facebook? Earn an extra entry by leaving a comment with the major city where Jared Fogle lost all of his weight. Hint.
The giveaway will run through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 2. Winner will be announced Monday!
Hope you enjoyed this Friday morning interview and treat
What are your plans for this weekend?
I’ve got a great friend – and former bloggie – coming into town. I will be sure to share our adventures with you, as well as some of the Guest Benders that I still need to post {I didn’t forget, I promise}!
Abrazos,
I’ve seen some of the breakfast items around, and I really want to try them! English muffin with egg white and cheddar sounds great…. perhaps with some spinach added in for a nutritious punch!
What a great interview! 245 lbs…good lord! That is amazing- such an inspiration. Love that hes into running now too. And couldn’t agree more with the tip about spreading calories across the day. We love subway (Josh and I). I would most want to try egg white omelet with the light wheat english muffin…and jalapenos and cheese- yum!
wahooo!! this was such a cool post!!!
and giveaway?! so fun! i dont like any egg sammys, but i’ll take a foot long any day!
WHoooo HOOO – Great Job Jen. Zest loves Subway!
The eggwhites and cheese on an english muffin looks really good.
i’ve been curious to try the new egg white sandwich on an english muffin…sans cheese please!
Loved the interview with Jared. He was actually very close to me this morning…if you consider 20 minutes away (He was in Burnsville, MN). He was promoting the new breakfast line at a local Subway. He seemed really friendly during the interview the local news did as well. I would love to try the Western sandwich…the nutrition facts for 4 of the breakfast sandwiches are sooooo good. Look forward to trying one!
I’ve been wanting to try one of the egg white english muffins!
I would like to try the egg and cheese english muffin.
I also tweeted giveaway
the southwest!! on an english muffin
That is so cool you got to interview THE Jared. I would like to try the egg white omelet with american cheese on an english muffin
I think the Egg & Cheese with egg whites!
The black forest ham, cheese and egg muffin looks so yummy. Can’t wait to try it.
I think the egg and cheese muffin looks good! I also like the idea of adding jalapenos for a kick!
I can’t wait to try the egg white omelet on flatbread! Hopefully Whole Wheat comes out soon
Thanks for an awesome interview and giveaway!
I would love to try the egg white and cheese with jalapenos. Gotta have my spice!
I’m a fan of Subway on Facebook!
I tweeted about the giveaway!
julie
Oh, I love me some Subway. They are always the best option on long road trips! I want to try the western egg and cheese on english muffin. What a fun interview!
Oh, and I’m going to guess he was in Bloomington, Indiana.
i LOVE SUBWAY..the veggie delight with sweet onion sauce is the bomb baby!!!
Go you for scoring an interview…so jelaous.
I just started a blog and you have inspired me so much…TY and keep up the good work!!!!
I would love to try the western breakfast sandwich from SUBWAY next. I hear they are delic!!!!
I would try the Egg white and Cheese breakfast muffin! MMM
I “LIKE” Subway on FB
English muffin, egg white, tomatoes, onion, green pepper and some mustard. Yummy.
I would definitely try the whole wheat English muffin with cheese, egg whites, and ham. Sounds delicious!
What a fun interview!!
I’m not a huge fan of egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches, but I would love to have a gift card for some subs. The veggies ones are my fav!
I’d love to try the egg/cheese english muffin. I’ve never had Subway’s but I bet it’s delicious.
Thanks!
What an awesome interview! I’ve seen their breakfast items and would love to try the western egg and cheese without the meat
Thanks Jen, this was a fun interview to read! Jared was in STL last year for something or another and my hubby and I were running in Forest Park and heard him talking on the microphone
I’d love to try the egg white sandwich…
Thanks for doing this fun interview. I’m not a breakfast sandwich person (don’t like eggs or cheese, and am vegetarian!), but I love their veggie delight (minus the cheese). Mmm…
Wiki says he lives in Indianapolis, but if he lost the weight while in school, maybe Bloomington?
I have tried the egg white, cheese and ham, but I think I want to try to Western version with peppers and onion.
Great Interview Jenn! You did an awesome job and I love the questions!
need to catch up soon!
I tweeted!
Give me anything on an english muffin and I’m there!
I love, LOVEEEEE Subway! I’d love to try the Western egg white on an english muffin. Sounds yummy!
Great interview. I’d say the Western Egg and Cheese… Mmm!
Bloomington, IN
I would like to try the egg and cheese english muffin!
Definitely the egg & cheese sandwich!
City where Jared lost his weight: Bloomington, Indiana? I just visited there last December. A great little town!
I would love to try an egg and bacon melt on a light english muffin. That was an awesome interview, but the way. It is so true that it is easier to be losing weight. But how to you go back to aneutral lifestyle that supports your current weight without gaining or losing more? Tricky!
black forest ham and cheese looks good and i tweeted too @dad1111
Haha what a cool interview! That’s awesome. I’m a huge Subway fan too. Love how they pile on the veggies at no extra cost!
I’d probably go with the eggwhite and cheese. So cool they’re doing breakfast now too.
Subway is the best place to grab a fast healthy meal. I’d probably go for an egg white muffin melt with peppers and sliced jalapenos! I tweeted about your giveaway!
I am all for trying the eggwhite and cheese!
I’d love to try the egg and cheese with egg whites on a toasted wheat muffin.
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/kstrembel/status/13147511833
I would try any of the breakfast items. They all look good!
I clicked like Subway on facebook
What a great interview!!
I’d love to try the egg and cheese on an english muffin.
That was a great interview!
I would love to try the blackforest ham, egg and cheese sammich!
I have to admit, I’m snooty with breakfast sandwiches (as in, I usually just want to make my own) but I do love snagging a veggie delite when I’m eating on the road
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I was going to go out with some friends this weekend but I came down with a bad cold last night now so now my plans are REST REST REST!!! May is a busy month for me and if I’m sick… well, I just don’t want to think about that
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Sweet! I have been wanting to try the breakfast, actually. I would get the egg and cheese english muffin- classic
I love the veggie subs
Breakfast items look awesome
Awesome giveaway, would love to try a western egg and cheese on an english muffin
Congrats on the interview
that is awesome!
Cool interview! I would choose the black forest ham, egg, and cheese.
Agh! This is SO cool that you got to interview Jared! Ever since I began dating Seth, I’ve developed a new appreciation for everything Subway-related. If I still ate eggs, I would totally order an egg white sandwich with every veggie possible:)
I love subway! And I have always said they should come up with a breakfast menu I’m sooo happy! I really want to try the Western egg!
Totally just tweeted about your giveaway! I’d LOVE to try one of their new breakfast items. I’ve been wanting to, and this is the perfect opportunity to do it!
How awesome you got to interview Jared! I love Subway and am eager to try the Western Egg and Cheese, hold the ham and cheese (I don’t eat ham and I’m lactose intolerant…). I pretty much operate under the assumption that if it’s a Subway sandwich, it’ll be good…
def the english muffin w. egg white and cheddar! YUMM!
MMM Egg white on an english muffin please!
I’d like to try the Western Egg and Cheese sandwich (with an egg white).
Tweeted it! @goofyfrito
I like Subway on Facebook
I love reading your interviews cuz you ask the best questions!
I would go for the black forest ham and egg sandwich but without the cheese. hehe
Did the “like” Subway on Facebook option
RT’d Check out the @subwayfreshbuzz giveaway on @EatingBender! http://bit.ly/9eQwwx
Gotta go with Black Forest Ham for breakfast.
Oh, and just to complete the set: Bloomington, Indiana
Thanks for this fun interview and the give-away.
the western egg and cheese
Jared lost the weight in Indianapolis
Nice interview! I love Subway for lunch, but have never tried the breakfast sandwiches. The egg on english muffin sounds perfect for breakfast on the go.
oh! Jared lost the weight in Bloomington!
Great interview, but — and I hate to be that girl, but I think it needs to be said — many of Subway’s offerings, including their wheat bread, contain high fructose corn syrup. Sometimes what is billed as ‘healthy’ is actually… not. (I guess this doesn’t matter to someone trying to lose weight on the ‘Subway diet’ because they are still very low-calorie, but just an fyi!)
Not at all, girly – in fact, I appreciate you shedding some light! You’re awesome for sharing this because I had no idea. Thank you!
I would order the egg & cheese on an english muffin!
Bloomington, Indiana!
Loved reading the interview!!! I would like to try their egg white and cheese sandwich on the wheat eglish muffin. I’d add spinach, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and banana peppers to it too!
Jared lost his weight in Bloominton, IN. Thanks for the hint!
Double bacon, Egg and Cheese. Yum! Thank you Subway!
I would like to order Steak, Egg and Cheese
I “liked” Subway on Facebook!
I have twittered and liked on Facebook
Nothing like an egg and cheese in the morning! I’d love to try one of those new sandwiches.
Ham, cheese & egg white on an english muffin sounds pretty good to me.
One of the eggwhite and cheese muffins sounds great! With lots of spinach and some ham!
Tweeted under mmhoneycutt!
Liked on FB under Mimi Honeycutt!
And Jared lost weight in Bloomington, IN!
bloomington, indiana!
i would love to try the egg white flatbread, loaded with veggies of course
Fantastic interview. I love Jared’s story and I think Subway is a good, healthy option!
wow, he’s so down to earth. cool interview
p.s. the egg white on english muffin sandwich.
Jared Fogle lost all his weight in Indianapolis, Indiana
I’d order the Black Forest Ham, Egg and Cheese on an English muffin. Sounds tasty!
I’d order the black forest hsm, cheese, and egg on an English muffin. Tasty!
I tweeted!
I “liked” Subway on Facebook.
I’m a fan of Subway on facebook now! I would love to try the Western egg and cheese
This was a fun interview to read! He sounds like a nice guy and his story is really inspirational.
I would totally get an egg white cheese english muffin sandwich. Mmmm now I want to go grab a veggie delight for myself
yum! i love subway. the western egg and cheese looks tasty!
I love Subway! It is my main go-to restaurant for quick meals. I haven’t tried the breakfast yet, but would like to try the blackforest ham, egg and cheese sandwich. Thanks for the giveaway!
Bloomington!!
I’d order the egg and cheese sando.
i love the interview!! i would get the black forest ham, egg and cheese, sans cheese. lactose intolerant!
tweeted! (@liltiff917)
and i’m now a fan on facebook!
The Turkey veggie one sounds like a great breakfast – sans the cheese cause I’m just not a fan. Great interview!
I tweeted (@kimmyjahnke)!
Wow that was a cool interview I’d want to try anything with the english muffin
I tried out their Western Egg White sandwich last week, and it’s on my go-to menu now. I’d love to try the ham, egg & cheese Egg White sammy soon!
I a FB subway fan!
Jared used a Bloomington Subway as his restaurant of choice.
I would love an egg white English muffin! I LOVE the veggie sub – in fact I may need to make that my lunch tomorrow after thinking about it !
What an awesome awesome opportunity! I love subway, and I love getting the honey wheat piled high with veggies. Great job on the interview!
Egg, cheese, and tomato on an english muffin. Yum!
great interview jenn!!! so cool that you got to talk to jared!!!