Comedian Jim Gaffigan is the first to admit that his weight has fluctuated over the years.

After reaching 270 pounds, he decided to try medication — and has since lost 50 pounds. “I feel good,” he tells PEOPLE. “I’m just grateful because it’s such a better life.”

Gaffigan lost weight with the help of Mounjaro, a brand name for tirzepatide, a prescription drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. It also helps people lose weight.

At first, Gaffigan was unsure whether or not the medication would help him. “I had very low expectations because I knew someone who had tried it and said, ‘Oh no, I was just nauseous for a week,’” he explains. “And then I thought my true joy of eating would overpower everything.”

But when he started to see the number on the scale drop, he was sold.

Gaffigan has struggled with weight gain for most of his adult life. He remembers in his 20s, when he “exercised twice a day to be thin so I could eat,” he says. “And as my metabolism slowed down, it became more and more difficult, and then my knees started to give out, and then the fatigue started.”

Over the years he continued to gain weight. Last year his doctor asked if he had considered medication. “She said, ‘Well, some people are against it.’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t care, I’ll try.’ My knees were sore and my cholesterol wasn’t great,” Gaffigan says.

“And that’s one of the reasons why I wanted to talk about it, because I thought it was almost strange that people were resistant to talking about it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. There are people out there who clearly don’t .” I have blonde hair, but I don’t find that strange.

Gaffigan’s new stand-up special, The skinny onewhich airs on Hulu on November 22, will feature more thoughts on his weight loss. “It’s something you can take a strong stance on, there’s a few different sides to it,” he says, adding that he also talks about his children in the special. “I also had some strong views on raising teenagers. So the name ‘Skinny’ just seemed perfect.”

As for maintaining his health, Gaffigan says he is not trying to lose any more weight and has yet to decide how long he will continue the medication. He stays active by walking around New York City, where he lives with his wife Jeannie and their five children. “I don’t exercise much, but it’s really a walking city,” he adds. “And I have the Apple Watch, so I make it a point to close all my rings (for step counting) every day.”

The comedian says Jeannie also seems to appreciate his improved health. “I mean, she’s one of those people who are just genetically skinny. It’s annoying,” he explains. “But yeah, I think she likes it (his weight loss). It’s like living with a glutton versus living with a former glutton. It’s a healthier lifestyle.”

As he looks forward to his upcoming North American tour with comedian Jerry Seinfeld next year – which will stop at 10 arenas across Canada and the US – Gaffigan is excited to try different dishes in each city. “Jerry has different rituals before and after the show,” he says. “I can’t look at a map without figuring out where I’m going to eat.”

The skinny one premieres on Hulu on November 22.

Tickets for his tour can be purchased at JerrySeinfeld.com and JimGaffigan.com.