December 15, (THEWILL) – American talk show host, television producer, actress, author and media proprietor, Oprah Gail Winfrey, recently confirmed using medication to support her ongoing weight loss journey, a process she’s been dedicated to for the past two years.
Oprah revealed, “I now use it as I feel I need it, as a tool to manage not yo-yoing.”
“The fact that there’s a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier, in my lifetime, feels like relief, like redemption, like a gift, and not something to hide behind and once again be ridiculed for.”
She continued, “I’m absolutely done with the shaming from other people, and particularly myself.”
As she approaches her 70th birthday in January, Winfrey did not disclose the specific medication she is using.
In the last year, there has been a notable surge in the popularity of weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro. Weight-loss-oriented companies, including Noom and WeightWatchers, of which Winfrey is a shareholder and board member.
Over the last two years, Oprah revealed a consistent weight loss journey through a blend of diet and exercise. However, a pivotal moment occurred this past summer when she had an “aha” moment about weight loss medication.
Moderating a panel on weight for her Oprah Daily outlet, Winfrey, alongside doctors and experts, challenged the outdated notion that weight loss is solely dependent on willpower. Reflecting on the growing popularity of weight loss drugs during the discussion, she acknowledged initially perceiving them as “the easy way out.”
“I realised I’d been blaming myself all these years for being overweight, and I have a predisposition that no amount of willpower is going to control. Obesity is a disease. It’s not about willpower — it’s about the brain.”
Following insightful discussions with doctors, Oprah Winfrey shared a transformative shift in her perspective. She candidly expressed, “I released my own shame about it,” and subsequently consulted with her doctor, who prescribed medication to support her weight loss journey.
“I eat my last meal at 4 p.m., drink a gallon of water a day, and use the WeightWatchers principles of counting points.
“I had an awareness of medications, but felt I had to prove I had the willpower to do it. I no longer feel that way.”
