Oprah Winfrey is sharing her experiences regarding her weight loss journey.
In a recent interview, she discussed her new book, *Enough*, which she co-authored with obesity specialist Dr. Ania M. Jastrebov. The 71-year-old media mogul reflected on her ongoing battle with obesity, expressing that she now “feels more alive and energetic than ever before.”
Winfrey noted, “I feel like I have so much more to give to everyone. I’ve just been more open to everyone.” She also revealed her past relationship with alcohol, mentioning, “I used to drink 17 shots of tequila a night… I hadn’t had a drink in years. The fact that I don’t even crave tequila anymore is pretty incredible.”
Her journey with GLP-1 medication started over two years ago after she recognized that her lifelong weight issues stemmed from obesity—a term she previously avoided using.
She had an enlightening moment in 2023 while hosting a special on obesity, where she learned something profound: “overeating is not the cause of obesity. Obesity is the cause of overeating.” This realization was, as she put it, “the most shocking and liberating event I have ever experienced as an adult.”
Winfrey emphasized that if obesity runs in one’s genes, it’s not a personal failing. “I want people to stop blaming themselves for genetics or circumstances beyond their control,” she explained, advocating for informed choices regarding dietary and medical options.
After beginning her GLP-1 treatment, she described feeling “everything was calmer and stronger,” which helped her manage her cravings. This absence of constant messages about food has granted her a “quiet strength that comes with everything I do.”
During a March 2024 ABC special titled “The Oprah Special: Shame, Blame, and the Weight Loss Revolution,” Winfrey opened up about the media’s fixation on her weight. She recounted a particularly extreme attempt at weight control in 1988, where she went on a liquid diet for nearly five months, driven by shame. “Even though I lost 67 pounds, I started gaining it back almost immediately,” she recalled.
She expressed concern about the stigma surrounding obesity, stating, “It’s wrong to shame people for being obese when they don’t suffer from it.” Winfrey reflected on her previous misconceptions about those who didn’t struggle with dieting, realizing now that many simply weren’t preoccupied with food the way she was. “For years, I believed those who didn’t need to diet had stronger willpower. Now, I see they weren’t even thinking about it,” she concluded.
