Oprah Winfrey has revealed that she has recently turned to a weight loss medication after years of struggling with her weight.
In an interview with People magazine, the former talk show host reflected on the years of public scrutiny she endured regarding her weight and how deeply she internalized the criticism.
“For 25 years, it was a public sport to make fun of me,” Winfrey shared with People. “I have been blamed and shamed, and I blamed and shamed myself.”
She recounted a particularly hurtful incident when a magazine cover labeled her as “Dumpy, Frumpy, and Downright Lumpy.”
“I didn’t feel anger,” she told People. “I felt sadness. I felt hurt. I swallowed the shame. I accepted that it was my fault.” a weight loss medication
Winfrey’s weight fluctuations have been widely documented, but a positive turn came in 2021 during her rehabilitation after knee surgery. Engaging in activities like hiking and focusing on fitness marked a turning point for her health.
“I felt stronger, more fit, and more alive than I’d felt in years,” she shared with People.
While Winfrey had advocated for weight-loss medications for others, it wasn’t until she participated in a panel conversation with weight loss experts and clinicians for “Oprah Daily’s Life You Want” series in September that she considered them for herself.
Initially dismissing the weight-loss drug Ozempic as “the easy way out,” Winfrey had a revelation during the panel discussion.
“I had the biggest ‘aha’ along with many people in that audience,” she revealed to People. “I realized 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,” she concluded.