Art lost 85 pounds through good, old-fashioned diet and exercise. Even better, his new healthy lifestyle reversed his diagnosis. "Once the belly fat disappears, then it's no longer sending chemicals out to the muscles saying, 'Ignore the insulin,'" Dr. Oz explains.

Learn more about what diabetes does to the body.  

While he admits to occasionally indulging in a piece of real fried chicken, Art has found a way to make his signature dish healthier. "When I want to enjoy it more, [I] can make it lighter," he says. "The fact is you've got to get rid of the skin and you've got to use a multigrain type of coating because it's all in the crust was where the fat is." Art also uses Greek yogurt instead of buttermilk to coat the chicken for less fat and more protein.

Get Art's recipe for Southern Unfried Chicken.

Though he's done the hard work himself, Art says he couldn't have done it without his loved ones. "[Friends said,] 'We want you to stay with us,'" he says. "They embraced me." 

More diabetes-friendly recipes 

Everything you need to know about diabetes