Oprah Lost 50 Pounds on a GLP-1 and Says This "Mind-Blowing" Realization Freed Her From Decades of Shame at 71
Every weight-loss success story has its own secrets. The strategy that works for one person may not work for someone else. What's important is to stay open-minded and in the know. Oprah Winfrey is someone who's always strived to be her absolute best. She's never shied away from trying something new, and at 71 years of age, she's lost 50 pounds and is staying lean for the long run.
We're intrigued by how Oprah is living her weight-loss dream and are eager to know every detail. Not only does the celeb enjoy taking invigorating hikes, but she also maintains a healthy diet. We've learned the essential mindset shift that helped Oprah lose weight.
Her Perspective on Food and Hunger Cues Changed
After taking GLP-1 medication, Oprah's perspective on hunger and eating habits completely changed.
During an episode of "The Oprah Podcast," the celeb shared, "One of the things that I realized the very first time I took a GLP-1 was that all these years I thought that thin people just had more willpower, they ate better foods, they were able to stick to it longer, they never had a potato chip, and then I realized the very first time I took the GLP-1 that, 'Oh, they're not even thinking about it. They're only eating when they're hungry, and they're stopping when they're full."
She "Stopped Blaming" Herself
After being on weight-loss medication for more than two years, Oprah no longer considered her weight to be her "responsibility to fix."
She shared with PEOPLE in December 2025, "I thought it was about discipline and willpower. But I stopped blaming myself. I avoided the word 'obesity.' It connoted 'out of control.' But I came to understand that overeating doesn't cause obesity. Obesity causes overeating. And that's the most mind-blowing, freeing thing I've experienced as an adult."
She Had Been "Blamed and Shamed" for Years
Oprah also previously shared with PEOPLE, "It was public sport to make fun of me for 25 years. I have been blamed and shamed, and I blamed and shamed myself."
She Consumes Her Last Meal of the Day at 4 p.m.
The celeb optimized her diet to ensure results. One important tweak? She eats her last meal of the day early on, at 4 p.m.
"I eat my last meal at 4 o'clock, drink a gallon of water a day, and use the WeightWatchers principles of counting points," Oprah shared with PEOPLE.
She Uses GLP-1 Medication as a Weight Management Tool
Oprah revealed to PEOPLE that taking GLP-1 medication has helped her get a handle on weight fluctuations.
"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 … I now use it as I feel I need it—as a tool to avoid yo-yoing," Oprah explained to the outlet.
She Recognizes the Medication Is Not a "Magic Bullet"
Experts stress the importance of adopting all-around healthier lifestyle habits for successful weight loss—even for those taking GLP-1s. Oprah understands this well, noting that weight-loss drugs are not a "magic bullet" (via PEOPLE).
She Worked "So Damn Hard" To Achieve Her Weight Loss
"It's not one thing, it's everything. I know everybody thought I was on it, but I worked so damn hard. I know that if I'm not also working out and vigilant about all the other things, it doesn't work for me," the celeb told PEOPLE.
For more weight-loss success stories, check out Here's How Whoopi Goldberg Lost the Weight of "Almost Two People" on Mounjaro After 65.
