Subway's Jared comes to Carson to promote good health

Not only did students at Mark Twain Elementary School on Friday recognize Jared Fogle, the Subway guy, but they also recognized his iconic 60-inch waist jeans.

"Those really are his pants," said fifth-grader Austin Brown. "He really was that big. I remember watching the (Subway) commercials with my brother and my brother saying he probably just went out and bought them."

Fogle was at the school Friday to promote Subway's National School Tour and the school's American Heart Association campaign fund-raiser. Fogle, 27, has been the spokesman for Subway the past four years.

"My goal when I leave here today is for you to say that 'I never have to wear Jared's old pants,'" Fogle told the entire student body. "The responsibility is yours. After school, eat a healthy snack. If you make good decisions now, you'll be healthy teenagers and healthy adults."

As a college student in Indiana, Fogle weighed 425 pounds and tried diet after diet. At somewhat of a standstill, he went into a nearby Subway, looked up the nutritional information of the sandwiches and decided to give the food a go.

"I began eating two low-fat sandwiches every day, no mayonnaise, no cheese, no oil," he said. "I had pretzels or baked potato chips, nothing fried, and drank lots of water or sometimes a diet soda."

Within three months, Fogle dropped 94 pounds and within a year, he lost 245 pounds. But, he told students, his weight first started going up when he was in elementary school and received a Nintendo. The more he played, the more he ate.

"I typically had one hand in a bag of chips or a bag of cookies or on a Mountain Dew," he said. "I was a junk-food addict."

Fogle's message about too much time playing video games and not enough time exercising struck a chord with fifth-grader Julio Mayoral.

"Usually after school we play Playstation," the 10-year-old said, tilting his head toward his friends. "Now I think we're going to go outside and play soccer and shoot some hoops."

Most of the other Carson City schools have already held their Jump Rope for Heart campaign fund-raisers. To kick it off at Mark Twain, the newly formed jump rope team from Bordewich-Bray Elementary School came and showed their stuff.

"Whatever you raise, it all goes to research," American Heart Association Youth Market Director Ray Henderson told students.

"It doesn't matter if it's $2, a quarter or $100."

During the week, children will fund-raise by asking adults for money. In total, more than $350 million was raised nationally during last year's Jump Rope for Heart campaign.

"This is a great cause," Fogle said to the students. "This is really important and I encourage all of you guys to get involved."

- Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.