Oprah Winfrey opens up about weight loss, sobriety, and GLP-1 drugs
Oprah Winfrey is getting real about her health journey, sharing that GLP-1 drugs helped her lose weight and quit drinking.
"I hardly recognize the woman I've become. But she's a happy woman," Winfrey told People for their Tuesday cover story, reflecting on how she used to drink heavily but now has no desire for it.
Why did Oprah turn to GLP-1 drugs?
After years of struggling with her weight—at one point hitting 96kg and facing pre-diabetes—Oprah started using GLP-1 injections when she accepted obesity as a disease.
The meds helped her manage her appetite, allowed her to move away from strict diets, and she found herself enjoying exercise again.
She did pause them in early 2024 and gained some weight back even with healthy habits, so now she's okay with using them long-term, having been close to her goal of 73kg.
Dealing with body image and public pressure
Even as a media icon, Oprah says body image struggles and public shaming have been tough for decades.
"I've always been confident in whatever I was doing, but I was at the same time disappointed in my overweight body," she admitted.
While she's found more peace now, Oprah is clear—being overweight wasn't healthy for her, despite what anyone else says.