Harvey Brooker, the Toronto weight-loss guru whose radio ads said “If you could do it alone, you would have done it already,” died Thursday. He was 74.

Since 1985, Brooker held weight-loss classes that focused on healthy eating habits for men and how to keep weight off.

Hundreds of Torontonians have attended his classes, where Brooker and other attendees told their success stories and shared their tips in a “Power Hour” talk.

Participants in his classes included columnist Robert Fulford, CBC Radio host Michael Enright and Toronto Mayor John Tory, who lost 34 pounds when he joined the program in 2010.

Brooker is survived by his wife of 53 years, Helen, and their three children.

Tory offered his condolences to Brooker’s family on Thursday.

“Harvey Brooker inspired hundreds of men, including me, to lose weight and thus improve their health and longevity. He literally saved lives and he did so through his acquired knowledge and the power of his personality,” said Tory.

“Many families owe a debt of gratitude to Harvey Brooker. I extend my condolences to his wife Helen, who was his partner in business as well as in life, and to all of the members of the Brooker family."

Brooker started his weight-loss program after losing 50 pounds at the age of 27 in 1971. He kept the weight off by following a philosophy that weight loss wasn’t just about food, but about self-confidence and having a support system.

The Brooker Weight Loss for Men program ran on Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for men of all ages and professions. At the classes, Brooker would speak on a range of topics about healthy eating.

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“It’s like an AA meeting except you’re addicted to food not alcohol,” said Michael Yaneff, a 35-year-old high school teacher.

After hearing Brooker’s radio ads, Yaneff signed up for the yearlong weight loss program in December 2015. At the time, he weighed 350 pounds, had sleep apnea and took cholesterol pills.

Yaneff said he lost 160 pounds on Brooker’s program.

“Harvey saved my life,” he said. “I’ve tried so many other weight-loss programs but nothing worked. If I didn’t meet Harvey, I would be dead by the time I turn 40.”

Yaneff said he’ll remember Brooker’s many motivational talks, how he never felt spoken down to and how Brooker “spoke from the heart.”

“He was my hero,” he said.

Jimmy Petrou, 48, remembers walking up the stairs to Brooker’s studio near Dufferin St. and Finch Ave. W. in October 2014 and feeling “terrified.” But when he walked in and saw before–and-after photos covering the walls of the studio, he immediately felt like he was part of a family.

“It’s a beautiful place. It’s magical,” said Petrou, the assistant manager of a printing company who lost 85 pounds.

“Harvey and his wife treated me like an adopted son.”

After members reach their weight-loss goal, they started their “maintenance” where they continued to live healthier lifestyles to keep the weight off. Some of the men then got asked by Brooker to be speakers at the weekly meetings, including Yaneff and Petrou.

Yaneff gave his first talk last week.

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“The city will deeply miss him, but the classes will go on,” said Yaneff.

“Our team is like a family,” said Petrou. “We need to keep Harvey’s legacy alive.”

Correction – December 13, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said Harvey Brooker had two children.

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