Serena Williams shared that after the birth of her two children, she sought help from GLP-1 weight loss medications to assist her in shedding pounds.
At 43 years old, Williams mentioned in an interview that she lost 31 pounds over the course of eight months with the help of these medications.
“I literally tried everything. Running, walking, cycling, you name it, I did it,” Williams explained in her appearance on “Today.” She expressed feeling like she was still in the mindset of professional sports, saying, “I don’t want to do this, so it’s kind of a quick way to do it.”
However, she acknowledged that it’s not as straightforward as it seems, sharing that she feels something is lacking in her body after giving birth to her daughters Olympia in 2017 and Adira in 2023.
Williams expressed her desire to speak publicly about her weight loss journey to combat the notion that using GLP-1 medications is a lazy shortcut.
According to the company’s information, GLP-1 medications function by mimicking hormones that help regulate blood sugar, slow digestion, and increase feelings of fullness.
One of the well-known drugs in this category is Ozempic.
Williams shared that maintaining a healthy weight after her pregnancies has been a struggle. In a 2018 documentary, she discussed with her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, her need to lose weight.
Initially, in response to the emergence of GLP-1 medications, Williams thought, “No way, why not, that’s not for me.” She viewed it as something different to try in order to address her challenges.
“In the end, it didn’t work, but I had to explore options,” she noted.
Despite the criticism surrounding weight loss pills, Williams appears unfazed. “A lot of people don’t talk about it,” she remarked, adding, “We should just be open about it; there’s no shame.”
This conversation occurred just days before the US Open, a tournament she has won six times, including in 2014.
Reflecting on her retirement in August 2022, Williams admitted she misses tennis: “There’s a part of me that misses it because when you’ve always had a goal and suddenly, it’s not a goal anymore, that’s a big change.” Still, she finds comfort in her cherished memories of the sport.
