Kelly Ripa complains about weight gain after quitting alcohol

Kelly Ripa expected to lose some weight after quitting alcohol, but the opposite happened.

The host shared an unexpected revelation about her journey to sobriety, disclosing that she gained 12 pounds after giving up alcohol eight years ago.

During Wednesday’s episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, Ripa, 54, opened up about her experience while discussing weight loss with Andy Cohen, who was filling in for her husband and co-host, Mark Consuelos. 

Cohen expressed frustration over not losing weight during his Dry January commitment, noting that he had anticipated shedding a few pounds after giving up alcohol, but that “had not really happen[ed] yet.”

Ripa empathized with Cohen’s surprise, recalling her own experience. 

“I told you, when I quit drinking, I expected there to be this windfall of weight loss, because everybody’s like, ‘Well, you are gonna get too skinny, and you can’t afford to lose it,’” she said. However, the reality was the opposite. 

“I gained 12 pounds.”

Ripa added, “I don’t understand this magical weight loss that people apply. I think I just took to eating the sugars.”

The Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast host had previously shared her decision to quit drinking, explaining in a 2020 interview with People that it happened somewhat unintentionally. 

“It wasn’t even really a thought process,” she said. “It felt great, I felt like I looked great, I felt like I didn’t feel hungover. Not that I was a heavy drinker — I wasn’t someone who got drunk — but even like two glasses of wine at a girl’s night out dinner; I would feel it the next morning.”

Ripa ultimately embraced sobriety after seeing its benefits. “I didn’t really feel the need or desire to go back to it,” she added.