Oprah Winfrey appeared slimmer than ever as she made an appearance in NYC on Tuesday, just months after disclosing her use of weight loss medications. The 70-year-old broadcasting icon showcased her svelte figure, highlighting her petite waist, toned arms, and sculpted curves in a purple sweater and belted tan slacks while arriving at Good Morning America. She completed her look with tan heels and styled her hair in soft waves.
Oprah finished her chic look with a pair of stylish sunglasses, enthusiastically waving her latest book club pick, Elizabeth Strout’s *Tell Me Everything*, as she greeted fans. Although she initially denied using weight-loss drugs, Oprah admitted in December 2023 that she had lost 40 pounds with the help of such aids, declaring that she was “done with the shaming.”
In December, Winfrey finally admitted to using weight-loss medication for her dramatic body transformation, after previously denying that she would ever use Ozempic or similar drugs for weight loss (shown left in December 2023 and right in 2019).
She lost the weight through a combination of medication and exercise, including hiking.
This admission follows Winfrey’s earlier stance against using Ozempic and similar weight-loss drugs, which she had criticized as an “easy way out” during a conversation with WeightWatchers CEO Sima Sistani.
She told People, “I now use it as a tool to manage weight and avoid yo-yoing,” though she did not specify the drug she uses. “The fact that there’s a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier feels like relief, redemption, and a gift in my lifetime, not something to hide or be ridiculed for.”
“I’m absolutely done with the shaming from others and from myself,” Winfrey said, noting that she had previously recommended the weight-loss aid to others before deciding to use it herself.
The star disclosed that she began taking the medication before Thanksgiving, anticipating two solid weeks of eating. She credited the drug with limiting her weight gain to just half a pound instead of eight, adding that it “quieted the food noise.”
Winfrey mentioned that she is now seven pounds away from her goal weight of 160 pounds but emphasized that “it’s not about the number.”
She has previously shared that her heaviest weight was 237 pounds (107.5 kg).
The glamorous star elevated her height with tan heels and styled her hair in soft waves.
Oprah highlighted her slim waist as she walked.
The star looked stunning as she stepped out and greeted fans.
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She shared that undergoing knee surgery in 2021 marked the beginning of her journey to improve her health and embrace a “more vital and vibrant life.”
The broadcast icon now follows a routine of having her last meal at 4 p.m., drinking a gallon of water daily, and using WeightWatchers’ point-counting system, complemented by regular hikes.
She emphasized the importance of her fitness and health regimen in maintaining her weight loss, stating, “It’s everything. I know everyone thought I was relying solely on medication, but I worked incredibly hard. If I’m not also exercising and staying vigilant with everything else, it doesn’t work for me.”
Winfrey admitted she had been aware of weight-loss medications but felt she needed to prove her willpower. “I no longer feel that way,” she said.
She was motivated to consider medical weight loss drugs after a taped panel discussion with weight loss experts and clinicians in July, which she described as her “biggest aha moment.” Despite previously denying any intention to use weight loss drugs during the conversation released online in September, she reflected, “I realized I’d been blaming myself for being overweight, but some predispositions can’t be controlled by willpower alone. Obesity is a disease. It’s not about willpower; it’s about the brain.”
She told *People*, “I now use it when I feel I need it, as a tool to manage weight stability,” but did not specify the drug she uses (pictured left on December 6 and right in 2009).
The star hosted a panel before a live audience in New York City as part of Oprah Daily’s *The Life You Want* series, where she initially denied ever using weight-loss drugs.
During the discussion, experts emphasized that obesity is a metabolic disease, with some bodies being more prone to storing excess fat, also known as adipose tissue.
Oprah candidly shared, “For those of us who are prone to storing fat, no matter how many times… You’ve all seen me diet repeatedly. My body always seems to revert to a certain weight.”
She added, “If I ate an apple pie at 11 o’clock at night, I’d be two pounds heavier by morning. I can’t eat after a certain time.”
Reflecting on her experiences, Oprah said, “I’ve yoyoed my whole life. This world has shamed people for being overweight forever, and those of us who have lived it know that people treat you differently. I am Oprah Winfrey, and I know the difference in treatment when I’m over 200 pounds versus under.”
She observed, “There is a condescension and a stigma attached.”
Oprah emphasized the importance of having supportive friends and partners who celebrate your victories.
After a detailed discussion on available weight-loss drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, the media mogul remarked, “Shouldn’t we all be more accepting of whatever body we choose to have? That should be our choice.”
She added, “One of the things I felt so much shame about was the notion that taking weight-loss drugs was the ‘easy way out.’ I felt I had to do it on my own because if I took the drug, it would mean I wasn’t facing the challenge. There’s a part of me, similar to what many feel about bariatric surgery, that believed I had to take the hard route—keep climbing mountains and enduring suffering—or else I was somehow cheating myself.”
Throughout her decades-long journey with weight loss, Oprah has consistently addressed her struggles openly. Pictured in 1988 (left) and 1992 (right), she has never shied away from discussing her challenges.
She concluded, “As someone who has faced so much shame about my weight over the years, I’m just fed up with it.”
Following the discussion, Oprah said she released her own feelings of shame and consulted her doctor, who prescribed weight-loss medication.
When asked about her recent progress in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, she stated, “It’s not just one thing; it’s everything. I plan to maintain this approach.”
Earlier this year, she released the TV documentary *An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution*, which addressed the stigma surrounding weight-loss drugs and criticized those who shame people for using them.
