Oprah Winfrey talks about weight-loss 'tool to manage' health

Oprah Winfrey has been quite vocal about her deeply personal weight loss journey.

In the late 1980s, she lost a significant amount of weight through a liquid diet, famously showcasing her transformation on television.

She later admitted, “I starved myself for four months… and what I learned is that starving yourself is not the way to lose weight.”

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Oprah repeatedly lost and regained weight. She acknowledged the emotional roots of her struggle, stating, “I’ve been on every diet… and what I know for sure is that diets don’t work.” These experiences pushed her to move away from restrictive dieting and toward sustainable lifestyle changes.

In 2015, Oprah joined Weight Watchers (WW), which marked a turning point in her approach. She emphasized balance rather than deprivation and famously declared, “I love bread,” highlighting that no food needed to be completely restricted.

In recent years, the talk show host has reframed weight management as a medical issue rather than a personal failure.

In 2023, she revealed that she was using a GLP-1 receptor agonist medication (such as Ozempic or Wegovy) as part of her weight-loss health plan. Speaking about this shift, she said, “I now use it as I feel I need it, as a tool to manage not yo-yoing.”

She has also been candid about the challenges of maintaining weight loss without medication, acknowledging, “When I stop taking the medication, I gain the weight back.”

Beyond physical changes, Oprah Winfrey has emphasized the importance of emotional and mental well-being.

She explained, “For me, it’s not about the weight… it’s about being healthy and strong.” Her journey now focuses on self-awareness, balance, and overall wellness.