Dante Carrillo
Oprah Winfrey has had a complicated relationship with dieting, weight loss, and body image, which has played out in the public eye for decades. In 2024, she apologised for her role in perpetuating diet culture and promoting unrealistic weight loss expectations. She has since been open about her use of weight loss medication and her journey to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year Oprah Winfrey started dieting | 1988 |
| Weight loss | 67 pounds |
| Diet type | Liquid diet |
| Year she acknowledged her role in diet culture | 2024 |
| Weight loss medication | Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro |
| Weight loss routine | Hiking 3-5 miles daily, 10-mile hike on weekends, eating last meal at 4 pm, drinking a gallon of water a day, and using WeightWatchers principles of counting points |
| Weight loss goal | 160 lbs |
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What You'll Learn
Oprah Winfrey's use of weight-loss drugs
Oprah Winfrey has been open about her weight loss journey, which has played out in the public eye for decades. She has tried various methods to lose weight, including a liquid diet in 1988, which resulted in a 67-pound weight loss that she quickly regained when she returned to solid food.
In 2021, Winfrey underwent knee surgery, which kick-started her most recent weight loss journey. She started hiking and setting new distance goals, eventually reaching three to five miles every day and a ten-mile hike on weekends. She also adopted the WeightWatchers principles of counting points and began eating her last meal at 4 pm. Despite these efforts, she continued to struggle with her weight.
In July 2022, during a taped panel conversation with weight loss experts and clinicians called "The State of Weight," Winfrey had a turning point. She realized that her obesity was not due to a lack of willpower but rather a predisposition that no amount of willpower could control. She reconciled that obesity is a disease of the brain and decided to consult her doctor, who prescribed her a weight-loss medication.
Winfrey has since been public about her use of weight-loss medication, specifically a GLP-1 agonist, which works by mimicking the hormone GLP-1, helping people feel full and slowing stomach emptying. She has stressed that the medication is just one part of her holistic approach to weight loss, which also includes regular exercise and a healthy diet. She has also expressed that she is done with the shaming and no longer feels ashamed of using pharmaceutical aids to manage her weight.
Winfrey's decision to go public with her use of weight-loss medication has sparked conversations about her role in diet culture. While she has acknowledged her influence in this area, her newfound approach to discussing weight loss and her public use of weight-loss drugs have been met with mixed reactions.
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Oprah's weight loss and gain in 1988
Oprah Winfrey has had a long and public battle with her weight. In 1988, she showcased her weight loss on her TV show, losing 67 pounds on a liquid diet and exercise. She recalled how she had "literally starved [her]self for four months—not a morsel of food". She started Optifast in July 1988, weighing 212 pounds, and by fall, she weighed 145 pounds. She even pulled a wagon full of fat—representing the 67 pounds she had lost—onto the stage.
However, she soon began regaining the weight. She wrote, "What I didn't know was that my metabolism was shot. Two weeks after I returned to real food, I was up 10 pounds. Since I wasn't exercising, there was nothing my body could do but regain the weight." This experience marked the beginning of Oprah's decades-long struggle with her weight, which has played out in the media and on her talk show.
Oprah has since acknowledged her role in diet culture and her public use of weight loss drugs has sparked controversy. In a March 2024 interview, she shared her frustration with her weight, stating that she had resorted to eating one meal a day and felt there was "nothing else [she] could do". She has also been criticised for promoting weight loss products and segments on her show, such as featuring Dr. Oz, whose questionable science surrounding weight loss supplements has been questioned by other medical experts and in Congress.
Despite the criticism, Oprah continues to be open about her weight loss journey and her use of weight loss medication as a "maintenance tool". She stresses that it is not a magic bullet and that she still works hard to stay fit and healthy, combining medication with hiking, setting distance goals, and following the WeightWatchers principles of counting points.
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Oprah's knee surgery and its impact on her health
Oprah Winfrey has been open about her weight loss journey and her use of weight-loss medication. She has also been public about her health struggles, including her knee issues, which ultimately led to knee replacement surgery in 2021.
Winfrey has had a well-documented journey with her weight, with her body image playing out in the media and on her talk show over the years. She has tried various methods to lose weight, including a liquid diet in 1988, which saw her lose 67 pounds, only to regain the weight when she returned to solid food.
In 2022, Winfrey revealed that she had undergone double knee replacement surgery the previous year. She shared her experience during a class called "The Life You Want," where she expressed gratitude for her body and the ability to move again. After her first surgery, she couldn't lift her leg or heel off the bed, and she vowed to take advantage of movement and exercise if she recovered.
The talk show host has since maintained an active lifestyle, taking up hiking and setting new distance goals. She has also been using weight-loss medication as a maintenance tool and following the WeightWatchers principles of counting points. As a result, she has felt stronger and more alive than she has in years.
Winfrey's openness about her health struggles and weight loss journey has had an impact on public discourse around these topics. Her use of weight-loss medication, for example, has sparked conversations about the role of medication in weight loss and the influence of celebrities on public perceptions of such treatments.
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Oprah's experience with diet culture
Oprah Winfrey has had a complicated relationship with dieting and weight loss. For decades, she has been open about her weight loss journey, with her body image playing out in the media and on her talk show. In 1988, Winfrey showcased her weight loss on her TV show, having lost 67 pounds through a liquid diet. However, she soon regained the weight when she returned to solid food, blaming a "shot metabolism".
In 2016, Winfrey shared the cover of O magazine with nine other women, celebrating their "best body". She also spoke about her struggles with the scale and her commitment to 10,000 steps a day.
Winfrey has been criticised for her role in perpetuating diet culture. In May 2024, she acknowledged her part in this, apologising for contributing to society's obsession with weight and unrealistic standards around dieting. She admitted to being a steadfast participant in diet culture through her platforms, magazine, and talk show.
Winfrey has also been open about her use of weight-loss medication. In 2023, she revealed she had started taking a weight-loss drug to help manage her weight, noting that it felt like a "gift". She has stressed that it is just one part of her health and fitness routine, which also includes hiking and counting points. By 2025, she was taking Ozempic.
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Oprah's weight loss through WeightWatchers
Oprah Winfrey has been in the public eye for her weight loss journey for decades. In 1988, she showcased her weight loss on her TV show, but soon regained the weight. In 2015, she acquired a 10% stake in WeightWatchers and joined their board. However, in 2024, she stepped down from the board after revealing her use of weight-loss medication.
Winfrey has been open about her struggles with weight, sharing that it has ""occupied five decades [of her] brain". She has tried various methods for weight loss, including a liquid diet in 1988, which resulted in a 67-pound weight loss that she regained when she returned to regular eating. She also tried exercising more and eating only one meal a day, but these methods did not provide a sustainable solution.
In 2023, Winfrey underwent knee surgery, which served as a catalyst for her recent weight loss journey. She started hiking and setting new distance goals, eventually reaching 3 to 5 miles per day and 10 miles on weekends. She also adopted the WeightWatchers principles of counting points and adjusted her eating habits, such as having her last meal at 4 p.m. and drinking a gallon of water daily.
In July 2023, during a taped panel conversation called "The State of Weight", Winfrey shared a turning point in her approach to weight loss. She realised that obesity is a disease influenced by the brain and not solely by willpower. This realisation led her to consult a doctor, who prescribed weight-loss medication. She has stressed that her success is not due to medication alone but is part of a holistic approach that includes exercise and a healthy diet.
Winfrey has used her platform to address the stigma surrounding obesity and weight loss. She has advocated for recognising obesity as a chronic condition and reducing the shame associated with it. Despite her departure from the WeightWatchers board, she continues to collaborate with them to elevate the conversation around weight health and promote health equity.
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Frequently asked questions
Oprah Winfrey has been dieting for decades. In 1988, she lost 67 pounds through a liquid diet, but soon regained the weight.
Yes, in 2023, Oprah Winfrey revealed that she had started taking a weight-loss drug, though she didn't specify which one. She has since spoken openly about her use of weight-loss medication, including in a 2024 interview with People.
Oprah Winfrey has spoken candidly about her weight-loss journey, including her experiences with weight-loss medication, regular exercise, and nutrition. She has also acknowledged her role in perpetuating diet culture through her platforms and has apologised for setting unrealistic standards for the general public around dieting.
Oprah Winfrey takes an all-encompassing approach to health and fitness. In addition to weight-loss medication, she exercises regularly, including hiking and treadmill workouts, and follows the WeightWatchers principles of counting points. She also drinks a gallon of water a day and eats her last meal at 4 pm.
