Oprah Winfrey has faced relentless scrutiny regarding her weight throughout her illustrious career in the public eye. The media, magazine covers, and even her own talk show have chronicled her body journey over the 25 seasons of her eponymous hit talk show.
In a recent interview with PEOPLE for their cover story, Winfrey reflects on the decades of public scrutiny, noting, “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 recalls a particularly hurtful moment early in her career when a fashion critic labeled her as “Dumpy, Frumpy, and Downright Lumpy” on a magazine cover, a moment she describes as swallowing shame and accepting fault.
Oprah Winfrey (Credits: HELLO! Magazine)
Winfrey, however, claims that she is over her humiliation and is now upbeat about keeping a healthy weight in the long run. She takes a holistic approach, making lifestyle changes, frequent exercise, and, most recently, medication to help her lose weight.
Gains and losses in weight had taken up a lot of Winfrey’s brain space for the previous fifty years. Following knee surgery in 2021, she embraced sports like hiking and started her road toward consistent weight loss. She elaborates, “I felt stronger, more fit, and more alive than I’d felt in years.”
As part of her current routine, Winfrey consumes a gallon of water every day, finishes her final meal at four o’clock, and applies Weight Watchers guidelines. Although she emphasizes that medicine is a tool for managing weight without yo-yo-ing, she recognizes its significance in her regimen. After realizing that obesity is an illness and not just a matter of willpower in July, she decided to utilize medicine. This insight occurred during a panel discussion regarding weight loss.
Dispelling the idea of hiding behind it to escape mockery, the media magnate sees the medically certified prescription for weight control as a gift and comfort. Though Winfrey is aware of the public conversation surrounding her body size and the rise in popularity of weight-loss pills, she stresses that they are only components of a holistic health and fitness regimen rather than a miracle cure.
She is seven pounds from her target weight as she evaluates her progress, but she stresses that the trip is about the journey, not the number. Rather, she describes the improvement she has made since her surgery two years ago as a second chance at leading a more active and vibrant life, and she finds pleasure in that. In her continuous quest, her achievements—such as scaling a mountain in Hawaii—feel like moments of salvation.
