40 Celebrities Open Up About Their Weight Loss Journeys
40 Celebrities Open Up About Their Weight Loss Journeys
Motivation to lose weight is deeply personal, even for celebrities. Lots of big names have made transformations (big and small!) for various reasons over the years—from managing chronic conditions to feeling better mentally to simply being in the public eye all the time. From Rebel Wilson to Ayesha Curry, lots of stars have opened up about their unique weight loss journeys. Some of them focused on making changes to their diet, focusing on whole, nutritious foods. Others upped the intensity of their workouts. Some even turned to their doctors for help, opting for weight loss surgery to guide them in the right direction. No matter the approach, their results prove one thing we’ve always known to be true: Consistency and dedication do pay off. Ahead, we highlight 40 celebrities who have been open about losing weight and what it took to reach their goals.
Tiffany Haddish
In December 2020, Tiffany Haddish told People she’d lost 40 pounds in 2020. After weighing in at 182 pounds on her 40th birthday, the comedian quit smoking and hit the gym. Recently, she decided to level up her fitness routine and overhaul her diet by joining a 30-day fitness program, and she lost an additional 10 pounds. In an Instagram Live, Haddish revealed she was waking up at 2 a.m. to get her workouts in, focusing on plyometrics, cardio, and strength training. She also loads up on protein and vegetables.
Rebel Wilson
After declaring 2020 her “Year of Health,” Rebel Wilson lost 60+ pounds by adopting a new diet and fitness routine. She reportedly started the Mayr Method, which cuts down on dairy, gluten, sugar, and caffeine. The actress also hits he gym six to seven days a week focusing on cardio, strength training, HIIT, and mobility. Previously, Wilson opened up about battling emotional eating. Now that she's reached her goal, she subscribes to the sentiment that “nothing is forbidden” when it comes to food. “I'm just trying to go for overall balance,” she told People.
Adele
Adele is very private about her personal life, which makes it unsurprising that she hasn’t publicly addressed her weight loss, aside from a slight joke about her “different” appearance while hosting Saturday Night Live in October 2020. According to Us Weekly, the British singer hired a personal trainer and has been doing 60-minute workouts that involve cardio, circuit training, and Pilates. The star is reportedly following the Sirtfood diet as well. “She really wants to be healthy and set a good example for her son,” a source close to Adele told Us.
Ree Drummond
In a candid post on The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond revealed that “skinny has not been my primary goal,” but she was motivated to feel better and gain energy. She firmly expressed that she didn’t rely on fad diets like keto or even use a personal trainer. Instead, she simply focused on eating fewer calories, weighing out her portions, exercising with daily walks, Pilates, and her rowing machine to build muscle, and loading up on protein instead of sugar and alcohol. After losing 43 pounds, she insists that “feeling good is really all that matters… the weigh-ins are becoming less and less important to me.”
Tim McGraw
In 2008, after Tim McGraw’s daughter showed concern for his health, the country star decided to make some changes by giving up alcohol and hitting the gym. He told Men’s Health that he initially started exercising with light walks in the morning, which then progressed into 20-minute runs and eventually turned into lifting weights. “It wasn’t like I was trying to lose 40 pounds, I was just wanting to get healthy,” he told People. “For me, it is more about feeling good and being where I want to be physically and on stage.”
Ayesha Curry
As a celebrity chef, Ayesha Curry knows a thing or two about cooking delicious food, and the star explained on Instagram that she follows a mindful diet. “I’m really into portion control over any kind of diet, and try to stick to nourishing, delicious food in moderation,” she said. Curry also partnered with Fitbit to level up her fitness, focusing on cardio, strength training, and HIIT bodyweight workouts. The result? Curry revealed in September 2020 that she lost 35 pounds.
Christina Aguilera
The Liberation singer and former Voice judge lost 50 pounds in 2015. Her secret: Taking time off from her hectic schedule. “Without the grueling production hours, Christina can focus on her music and her son and most important on herself,” a source told People. “It’s amazing what having some personal time can do, not only for the body but also for the mind and the spirit. She has been trying new types of foods and exploring new methods of exercise. Not for diet or weight, but more for her mind and well-being and overall sense of good health.”
Jessica Simpson
In September 2019, Jessica Simpson shared on her Instagram that she lost 100 pounds six months after giving birth to her daughter, Birdie Mae. She worked with celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak, who gave the 40-year-old singer five things to focus on every day to help her stay accountable. Those things included walking 12,000 steps per day, getting at least seven hours of sleep, enjoying three full meals and two snacks daily, and doing circuit training workouts three to four days a week.
Andy Cohen
Watch What Happens Live! host Andy Cohen revealed that he lost 12 pounds in three months after he stopped drinking alcohol and made some changes to his diet. So if you think limiting your alcohol intake won’t make a difference in your weight loss, think again. Cohen said he was inspired to change his lifestyle in summer of 2019. “I had a moment where I was like, I really felt like my suits were getting tight and it was beach season and I was wearing like button-downs to the beach,” Cohen said while co-hosting Today with Hoda Kotb. Since he lost the weight, Cohen says he’s been more mindful about what he eats.
Simon Cowell
In 2019, Simon Cowell revealed that he lost about 20 pounds in an effort to be healthier, which was inspired by a scary fall he took in 2017 due to low blood pressure. Since then, the America’s Got Talent judge stopped eating dairy, wheat, and sugar, and became a vegan. “I cut out a lot of the stuff I shouldn’t have been eating and that was primarily meat, dairy, wheat, sugar—those were the four main things,” he said in an interview with The Sun.
Drew Barrymore
In February 2020, Drew Barrymore shared with her Instagram followers that she lost 20 pounds and “trained like a mother” with trainer Marnie Alton, who helped overhaul her diet and exercise routine. In a “Wellness Week” Instagram post, Barrymore said she focuses on full body workouts that target cardio, abs, bands, weights, and stretching. Despite her hard work, the actress admitted on Instagram that her weight fluctuates—and she’s fine with it. “I go up and I go down. The rollercoaster of my body is a challenging, but beautiful ride,” she said, adding that her true purpose is to raise her daughters. “So whatever the aftermath on my body, well bring it on!”
Al Roker
Gastric bypass surgery helped Al Roker lose over 150 pounds, and now, the Today host eats mostly a high-protein and low-carb diet. “I used to look at a pint of H?agen-Dazs and call it a serving size. Now I know that I can have a couple of spoonfuls and I’m done," Roker told to U.S. News. “I’m more in control—and I’m controlling food.” He also told Runner’s World he began running in 2010 and ran the New York City Marathon that same year. “Exercising is what I need for my metabolism and for a better sense of well-being,” he told U.S. News.
Drew Carey
As someone who has diabetes, Carey learned that giving up alcohol was his fast-track to getting healthier and losing weight. Now, he’s fulfilling the life-long decision to cut back on drinking as well as carbs, and hit the gym on a regular basis for 45 minutes of cardio, according to People. Because of that choice, he’s lost 100 pounds since 2010.
Gabourey Sidibe
Another actress who decided to go for bariatric surgery, Gabourey Sidibe, 37, said her decision to get the surgery came down to her diabetes diagnosis and struggles with years of trying to lose weight. “I’m glad that I finally realized that the surgery wasn’t the easy way out,” she told People. “I wasn’t cheating by getting it done. I wouldn’t have been able to lose as much as I’ve lost without it.”
Jennifer Hudson
Former American Idol contestant, singer, and actor, Hudson has stunned on the red carpet and across award shows for years. She lost 80 pounds post-Idol and has maintained the weight loss. According to Good Housekeeping, she pays close attention to what she puts in her body, with a focus on portion control.
Jimmy Kimmel
Intermittent fasting is certainly a trendy diet right now, but it’s also the way talk show host Kimmel maintains his weight. He follows the 5:2 method, meaning two days a week he eats less than 500 calories, he told Men’s Journal.
Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks lost 50 pounds in 18 months after snagging the American Idol title. She explained to Redbook that it came down to focusing on healthier choices rather than trying to become a certain size. She started walking more (and eventually started exercising with a trainer) and keeping an eye on portion sizes.
John Goodman
Goodman experienced significant weight fluctuations throughout his career, and has leveled out a bit over the last 10 years. His first step to weight loss was cutting out alcohol. Then, he overhauled his diet, focusing on lean meats, fruits, veggies, and protein shakes, and eventually hired a personal trainer. He’s lost (and kept off) more than 100 pounds.
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson has been open about her 37-pound weight loss, which she credits to following The Plant Paradox by Steven R. Gundry, which is pretty controversial. Clarkson says she started following the diet for medical reasons, though, and not specifically to lose weight. “I did it for this autoimmune disease that I had and I had a thyroid issue, and now all my levels are back up. I’m not on medicine anymore because of this book,” she told Today.
Jonah Hill
Jonah Hill first lost significant weight in 2014. But then he gained 40 pounds for the movie War Dogs in 2016, and in 2018, the actor started shedding pounds again. He attributes some of his weight loss to cutting back on beer, according to InTouch, but it looks like he’s doing something right in the gym, too. Recently, Hill wrote in an Instagram that he “finally loves and accepts” himself at 37 in a message about body positivity.
Janet Jackson
Going on tour takes a certain level of fitness—and Janet makes it look easy, even at 54. Her trainer, Paula Sybliss revealed to E! News that they started prepping for life on the road (with a goal to shape up) just six weeks after Janet gave birth to daughter Eissa in January 2017. Thanks to weight training (not to mention hours spent dancing on stage), Jackson lost 70 pounds.
June Shannon (a.k.a Mama June)
You might recognize 41-year-old Mama June from Toddlers and Tiaras or Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. The reality star lost 300 pounds after getting gastric sleeve surgery—a journey she showcased on another show, Mama June: From Not to Hot. (She also got skin removal surgery.) Since the operation, June focuses on portion control and working out whenever she can, according to People.
Kelly Osbourne
Lots of celebs who go on Dancing with the Stars lose pounds in the process—likely because of the intense practice schedule—and Kelly Osbourne is one of them. However, in 2020, the star told People she opted to have gastric bypass surgery in 2018, resulting in an 85 pound drop. “It is the best thing I have ever done,” she said. “The kind of surgery I had… if you don’t work out and you don’t eat right, you gain weight. All it does is move you in the right direction.” That’s why she continues to exercise, eat a nutritious diet, and cut out alcohol.
Khloe Kardashian
This Kardashian sister isn’t afraid to share how hard she pushes it in the gym—but that love of fitness only developed in the past few years. “If you were to ask me five years ago if I ever saw myself being completely in love with fitness and health, that I would be an inspiration to many others, that I would be the push that others needed to find their way—I would’ve laughed in your face,” she wrote on Instagram. “Me? The chubby one? No way! But now I can’t see myself ever stopping!” That’s one of the reasons (along with breastfeeding, and a high-protein, low-carb diet) she said she lost more than 30 pounds after having baby True in April 2018, according to People.
Kristie Alley
A longtime spokesperson for Jenny Craig, Alley has had her ups and downs in weight. She lost more than 100 pounds in 2011. Though she gained some of it back, in 2017 she was down another 50 pounds. She told People that she gave up some of her trigger foods, like sugar cookies and brie cheese. Plus, she counts calories. She also moves more now, often riding her bike around town.
Marie Osmond
Growing up in a famous family and gaining stardom at an early age on Donny & Marie, Osmond’s self-esteem took a hit. She told Oprah that she had tried tons of diets (and suffer from bulimia) to modify her weight. And the times she lost weight healthfully, she turned to NutriSystem and dancing on DWTS. “We can lose weight for many reasons—we can do it to look good or to get in those tiny little jeans,” she told Oprah. “But I’m telling you, health is the only way. Not only health physically, but health mentally.”
Melissa McCarthy
For this comedian, losing weight was all about thinking less. “I stopped over-analyzing, over-thinking, over-doing anything,” she told CBS This Morning. “I just stopped constantly being worried about it and I think there's something to kinda loosening up and not being so nervous and rigid about it that, bizarrely, has worked. I could’ve figured that out before 44, but whatever.” The now 50-year-old reportedly dropped 75 pounds, according to iHeart radio.
Missy Elliott
The singer-rapper, 49, posted on Instagram crediting two simple diet tweaks for helping her lose weight: no more soda or juice (just water!) and cutting back on carbs, namely bread. According to People, she was also diagnosed with Grave’s disease—an autoimmune condition affecting the thyroid—and made diet and exercise changes to help control that.
Randy Jackson
Determined to control his diabetes, Randy Jackson got gastric bypass surgery in 2003 which helped him lose 100 pounds. Since then, per WebMD, he has found a few methods for maintaining the weight loss like paying more attention to hunger cues, creating healthy recipes for foods he loves, and walking on a treadmill at home every day.
Ricki Lake
Talk about a stellar lifestyle change. Ricki Lake lost 130 pounds and has kept it off for more than 15 years, according to ABC News. She’s done so by eating smaller portion sizes and focusing on eating nutritious foods—but she still loves the occasional indulgence (like all of us!).
Rosie O'Donnell
After suffering a heart attack in 2012, Rosie O’Donnell set out to seriously lose weight. After trying a few diets, she decided to get gastric-bypass surgery in 2013, according to ABC News. Since then, the talk show host has lost over 100 pounds.
Sam Smith
Since 2015, Sam Smith has maintained a nearly 50-pound weight loss. He told the Today Show that he had an unhealthy thoughts around food, but found a way to get past it. “My relationship with food has just completely changed,” he said on the show.
Sarah Rue
When Sara Rue reached her 30s, she decided it was time to live healthier. While she doesn’t like to reveal exactly how much weight she lost, she told Cosmo that she began working out more and following a plant-based diet to boost her confidence. After that, she went on to work with Jenny Craig.
Sharon Osbourne
Another Osbourne weight-loss success story, Sharon got lap-band surgery back in 1999. She did lose 100 pounds post-operation, but decided to have the band removed in 2006, telling Us that it made her sick. Since then, she’s struggled with her relationship with food but says the Atkins diet works for her.
Sherri Sheperd
In 2013, the former View host lost 46 pounds thanks to Zumba and healthier eating habits, according to People. While she wanted to get in shape for her upcoming wedding, she also wanted to be more active and engaged when watching her son. “I have a very energetic son,” Shepherd told People. “And I would take him to the park and sit on the bench while he played. And I was the mom who would be yelling at him from the benches because I was just too tired to move.” Not anymore!
Star Jones
Former View co-host Star Jones got gastric bypass surgery in 2003. She wrote a piece about it for Glamour, in which she mentioned that before the operation, she was 307 pounds. Since then, she’s kept more than 100 pounds off by working out regularly and keeping her portion sizes in check.
Wendy Williams
On her show, Wendy Williams talked about her 50-pound weight loss over three years, attributing most of it to simply eating less. While she learned to be patient with the progress, she cut back on meat, refined sugar, dairy, and eating late at night. The star also does cardio and Pilates to stay active.
Lena Dunham
In 2018, Lena Dunham shared a before-and-after photo of her 24-pound weight loss on Instagram, noting that although she was thinner in the photo on the left, she wasn’t happy. “Even this OG body positivity warrior sometimes looks at the left [photo] longingly, until I remember the impossible pain that brought me there and onto my proverbial knees.” The message is a reminder that weight loss isn’t always achieved in a healthy way, which is why you should think twice before commenting on someone else’s body.
Shonda Rhimes
Creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal Shonda Rhimes didn’t lose weight to meet a certain beauty standard, she did it to feel her best internally. “I did it because I could not walk up a short flight upstairs without stopping to take a break and wiping sweat from my brow. I did it because my body was physically rebelling against the brain that had been ignoring it for so long,” Rhimes wrote in her newsletter, Shondaland, per Health. Rhimes told Eat This, Not That that she hired a personal trainer and does Pilates. “I eat everything I want to eat but I try to make it much less and smaller portions,” she said.
Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah says she has always struggled with her weight, but when she became a spokesperson for Jenny Craig, she ditched more than 20 pounds. In a 2010 interview with People, the Girls Trip star said, “I don’t really diet. I kind of keep everything in moderation, exercise, and eat right. I eat a lot of vegetables and lean meats, and I drink a whole lot of water.”
No matter the approach, their results prove that feeling your best is always worth it.