Gayle King praised for 'relatable' post about putting on pounds during quarantine as she shares scale photos: 'The weight struggle is real!'
Oprah Winfrey has long been transparent about her weight loss journey and physical transformations. Now best friend Gayle King is opening up about her own fluctuating weight — which she partly blames on “corona quarantine” in an Instagram post that’s being praised as “relatable” and vulnerable.
Over the weekend, the CBS anchor took to social media to upload a photo of her digital scale reading 172.2 pounds, almost 10 pounds heavier than the 163 she says her doctor recommends.
“Crisis! The weight struggle is real!” the 65-year-old told fans, calling herself “fatter than I’ve been in [a] long time.”
King also joked about her chipped nail polish (“scared to get a pedicure,” she explained) and shared photos of past weigh-ins, the lowest of which reads 159.2 pounds.
A post shared by Gayle King (@gayleking) on
But while her BFF is partnered with WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers), King told fans that reaching her goal weight is “not happening anytime soon,” thanks to the pandemic and the lure of Halloween candy.
King’s certainly not the first person to complain about gaining the “quarantine 15,” as being stuck at home makes it hard to resist frequent trips to the kitchen and stress-induced cravings. Indeed, her post struck a chord with followers from all backgrounds, including Andy Cohen, who confessed that he “can’t stop eating ice cream.”
Actress Andie Macdowell, meanwhile, added that she was having similar anxieties about her figure, but stressed the importance of self-love and grace.
“We’re so hard on ourselves,” the Four Weddings and a Funeral star told King. “We are in the middle of a pandemic. I’m constantly having the same feelings. Squeezing my stomach and thinking I’m fat. Dreaming of going to a fasting spa, but I’m 62 and I’m healthy and we are in the middle of a pandemic. If we ever deserved a break it’s now.”
Many commenters thanked King for being so open about her weight gain.
“You have LOTS of company on this one,” read one comment. “You are brave. I hid my scale!”
“Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability — we all can relate and we love your beautiful soul inside and out!” added another fan.
Added fellow newswoman Shenelle Jones, a host for Today: “Most relatable post of the day!!”
King was feeling more body-positive pre-pandemic. Last December, she posted unairbrushed photos of herself posing in a bikini in what she called a “celebration of cellulite cottage cheese thighs.”
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