Celebrities’ weight loss journeys often spark a lot of conversation from both fans and media outlets. Because of their easy access to resources, trainers and highly skilled professionals, celebrities often undergo dramatic physical transformations in a very short time, which leads to speculations about how they achieved those results. Many of them use a combination of multiple approaches, like surgery, medication and changes in their diet and physical activity. In this article, we’ll talk about some stars who have undergone weight loss surgery as well as other methods.
Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery encompasses different procedures such as gastric bypass, gastric sleeve or the non-invasive gastric balloon. Although this type of treatment is more drastic and often used as a last resort for those struggling with a significant case of overweight paired with other health conditions, many stars have resorted to it as the results, along with a change in diet and exercise, are relatively quick. Let’s see some of the celebrities that have undergone this procedure.
Mariah Carey
In 2017, the talented singer underwent gastric sleeve surgery, which shrinks the size of your stomach and causes you to eat less and lose weight.
Mariah decided to undergo bariatric surgery after realizing how much it had affected her singing abilities, as excess weight directly impacts your stamina and vocal performance. Since then, She has openly discussed how the surgery has helped lose over 30 pounds and improve her overall health.
Etta James
The late legendary singer Etta James struggled with her weight for years, reaching 400 pounds at one point. In 2001, she decided to get gastric bypass surgery, which helped her lose 235 pounds. Not only did it improve her physical health, but it also boosted her mental well-being, feeling comfortable enough to have fun on stage and perform again. However, it took her three years after surgery to adjust to her new lifestyle and feel at peace with her body.
Gabourey Sidibe
The Oscar-nominated actress underwent laparoscopic surgery in 2016 after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. She had already spent over 10 years trying to lose weight with diet and exercise, but seeing no significant improvements, she decided to opt for the procedure. Her stomach was reduced in size, which limited her hunger and capacity to eat.
While the surgery helped her physically, it didn’t solve her difficult relationship with food, so she started working with a nutritionist and personal trainer to change her habits.
Weight Loss Medication
In recent years, weight loss medication, like Ozempic, have gained popularity among celebrities. While many have achieved significant weight loss results thanks to these medications, it has sparked a lot of controversy because of the lack of transparency of some celebrities when it comes to admitting its usage. Below are a few celebrities that have openly discussed their experience with these weight loss drugs.
Kathy Bates
Kathy Bates’ weight loss journey is incredibly inspiring. After being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2017 and having survived two cancers that caused her to develop lymphedema, she realized she needed a lifestyle change. She started incorporating healthier habits and workout routines to her daily life. She lost 80 pounds thanks to diet and exercise, and 20 more by using Ozempic. Her new habits have improved her physical mobility, which was especially important for her acting career. Bates has become an inspiration to people dealing with similar health conditions that also want to lose weight.
Kelly Clarkson
The singer and TV host received a wake-up call from her doctors after discovering that her blood was in very poor condition. Although she was advised to start taking medication, she ignored her doctor’s advice for nearly two years out of concern about its possible effect on her thyroid. However, after receiving a pre-diabetic diagnosis a year later, she chose to take action. She began taking the weight loss medication, which helped her manage her blood sugar and lose 60 pounds.
Rebel Wilson
The Australian actress has been very open about her weight loss journey. She declared that 2020 was her “Year of Health” and started working on her physical and mental health. She realized that emotional eating and binge-eating played a huge role in her weight, so she decided to work on both her physical and mental well-being. After losing 60 pounds solely based on diet and exercise, she started taking Ozempic to maintain her weight and as a recommendation from her doctor to increase her chance of success at in-vitro fertilization.
Exercise & Diet
While many celebrities turn to surgery or medication to lose weight, others rely on non-surgical methods, such as exercise and diet, to get to their end goal. These processes usually take longer to show results, but that’s a good thing, as they should become part of your new lifestyle. When combined with consistency and a focus on mental well-being, these habits can lead to long-term success.
Adele
The British singer lost 100 pounds over the course of two years, mainly focusing on exercise. Her focus on physical activity helped her discover her passion for working out and building strength. She also denied following any specific diet or practice intermittent fasting; instead, she started eating more because of how much she was working out. Her transformation has inspired many, specially her emphasis on prioritizing overall health rather than her appearance.
Chris Pratt
Chris Pratt’s dramatic body transformation from the funny guy in the sitcom Parks and Recreation to a Marvel superhero in Guardians of the Galaxy shocked many in 2023. Over the course of six months, the actor lost over 60 pounds, leaving behind her diet composed of cheeseburgers for lunch. Apart from working out and a more balanced diet, the actor discussed how all these changes improved his overall health, stamina and emotional well-being.
Jennifer Hudson
The singer participated in the Weight Watchers program, a personalized calorie-counting system that creates a calorie deficit for weight loss. Through the program’s diet plan, exercise routine and help from a celebrity trainer, she lost 80 pounds in a year and has been able to successfully maintain her weight loss. Jennifer’s journey is a good example of the importance of sustainable and long-term weight loss instead of quick-fix diets and extreme workout plans.
While some have opted for changing their lifestyle and incorporating sustainable habits, others have decided on more drastic measures, such as weight loss medication or bariatric surgery. A non-surgical alternative is the Spatz3 gastric balloon, which grants higher success rates than bariatric surgeries.
What we can learn from all of these celebrities’ weight loss journeys is that there are many different paths to success. Whether someone decides to undergo weight loss surgery, take medication or stick to diet and exercise, something that is constant in all these stories is the importance of mental health in fitness transformations. Our mental well-being is as important as our physical health, and it can ease the process of our physical transformation.
