The Most Inspiring Celebrity Weight Loss Stories: How They Did It
Weight is something that many people struggle with around the world, and that even applies to Hollywood. While we think of actors, singers, and entertainers in general being rail-thing, there have been plenty to be overweight or obese like a majority of the American population. Many of these larger celebs, though, have been able to take control of their weight and get back to a healthy range.
Here are five celebrities who inspired millions with their healthy weight losses, allowing them to live longer and happier lives while looking great doing so. We’ll also explain how they dropped all of the extra pounds.
Randy Jackson
In 2002, the reality singing competition “American Idol” made the airwaves for the first time and introduced the world to Randy Jackson, a larger-than-life record executive who also performed with the likes of Aretha Franklin and Journey. Jackson, almost immediately after the first season, underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost over 110 pounds, and has been able to keep all of the weight off ever since.
“(Weight loss surgery is) a great jump starter,” Jackson said. “You lose a bunch of weight really fast, but maintaining’s another thing because you get there and your mind tells you, ‘Okay, phew. I’m here now. I can start to party and bring out the cheesecakes.’” Jackson went on to explain that he still dabbles in sweets every now and then, but he does so very sparingly and avoids binge eating.
Adele
Known as perhaps one of the greatest singers of any generation, Adele is a multi-grammy winner who has produced hit songs including “Rolling in the Deep”, “Hello”, and “Set Fire to the Rain”, just to name a few. For much of her life, though, Adele had a weight problem, much of which she attributed to overindulging in alcohol and snack food.
It’s reported that Adele lost 100 pounds during her remarkable transformation, and she attributes much of it to exercise being her newfound love. “I do my weights in the morning, then I normally hike or I box in the afternoon, and then I go and do my cardio at night,” she said. Adele explained that exercise also helped her mental health tremendously, helping to relieve her of anxiety attacks as she was able to take control of her whole body.
Kevin Smith
With a small amount of money, New Jersey native Kevin Smith was able to put together the film “Clerks” which ended up being a cult classic. It launched Smith into a career where he earned larger budgets, leading him to direct fan favorites including “Chasing Amy”, “Mallrats”, and “Dogma”. Smith, who had his weight constantly brought up in the films, and he topped out at nearly 330 pounds.
Smith suffered a heart attack that required emergency surgery, and he was told to stop the yo-yo dieting and keep the weight off for good. Smith took that advice seriously and lost 50 pounds almost immediately, then continued to slowly lose the rest of the weight. He adopted a vegan lifestyle, joined Weight Watchers, and cut out all of his other vices to boost his health even further.
Missy Elliott
Known as one of the best rappers of all time, female or male, Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott was dubbed the ‘Queen of Rap’ for good reason. Thanks to hits like “Get Ur Freak On”, “Gossip Folks”, and “One Minute Man”, Elliott ascended to the top, but her weight also continued to climb early on in her career. Elliott’s weight became a trademark, but in the early 2000s, she showed up to the scene much lighter and more successful than ever.
While Elliott had yo-yo’d a little bit after her initial weight loss, she showed up slimmer than ever in the late 2010s. Elliott received a health scare when she was diagnosed with Grave’s disease, which affected her thyroid. Elliott said that through diet and exercise, she was able to take control of the disease. This included cutting out soda and bread, and sticking with water for her drinks. It wasn’t easy, but Elliott says it’s worth it.
John Goodman
For much of his career, John Goodman was heralded as the actor in Hollywood you wanted to go to when you needed a heavier-set character who could act circles around anyone else in the room. Because of this, Goodman landed notable roles that included “Roseanne”, “The Flintstones”, and “The Babe”, all of which required a large man.
However, Goodman arrived to work one day much lighter than he had been, and at most had lost 200 pounds in total. While Goodman saw his weight creep back up every now and then, he’d make sure to get back on the right track before getting back to his highest. Cutting out alcohol was a big factor, saying that not drinking beer helped him more than anything.