50 Celebrities That Inspired Us With Their Weight Loss Stories

The Hot In Cleveland star, Valerie Bertinelli became very popular in the show together with her cast members. In 2017, Bertinelli was out of shape and over 40 pounds overweight. Of course, the media was fast to publish the scoop.

She joined the Jenny Craig weight loss program and followed a strict diet combined with a regular exercise routine, she was determined to lose that weight once and for all. Today she is healthier, fitter and happier than ever.

The star of the all-time favorite show Cheers, Kirstie Alley knows how to constantly stay in the spotlight. Although she had many great roles and a very active acting career, Alley was still up and down the scale while working on multiple shows.

During that time, she went through menopause and gained almost 228 pounds. Alley was determined at that point to lose the weight. Combining a good diet with a strict workout plan, Alley is looking stunning and happy.

Johnston, who was The Biggest Loser‘s first runner up during the ninth season, managed to lose over 183 pounds including half of her body fat. She started at nearly 500 pounds when she began her weight loss journey on the reality show.

With the guidance of professional trainers and nutritionists on set, Johnston successfully kept the excessive weight from coming back. She cut down sugar, prepped her meals for a balanced diet and followed a weekly exercise regimen.

We all love Melissa McCarthy’s memorable roles in many Hollywood comedies. When she became a rising star, her weight also rose to the point she decided it was time to follow a weight loss program.

McCarthy had to keep her health in check, so in 2016, she started to follow a more balanced diet and hit the treadmill on a daily basis. Her hard work eventually paid off, she lost 75 pounds and has successfully managed to keep the healthy weight to this day.

The British actress Lisa Riley, gave life to Many Dingle whom she played in Emmerdale, a character that without a doubt launched her career.

Riley gained even more popularity when she started working towards her fitness goals, shed a total of 140 pounds and went down to a size six – without the need to have gastric bypass surgery. According to Riley, there’s no secret sauce, she just followed a low-calorie diet and cut back on the late-night drinks.

Sidibe made her first-ever film debut in 2009 in the movie Precious and won an Academy Award for Best Actress. Following that- she joined the cast of the TV series, The Big C, and the American Horror Story series.

For years she was fighting weight control and obesity. Sidibe was determined to lose the weight not for the sake of others, for herself. Rumour has it she underwent a gastric sleeve surgery which helped her lose 50 pounds. However, nothing has been officially confirmed.

Before Destiny’s Child’s final split, we all remember Kelly Rowland was quite fit during her time with the band. But, after the birth of her first child, she decided to follow a strict diet plan and a rigorous workout program.

Being a mom is a bit different after all. She decided to divide her diet plan to 80% healthy foods and 20% whatever she wanted. Without having any plastic surgery Kelly lost 70 pounds and she’s rocking a hot bod we all envy.

After appearing in the Harry Potter franchise and Alice Through the Looking Glass, Timothy Spall gained prominence, and also quite a bit of weight in the process. However, he changed drastically and showed up as a brand new man at the Venice Film Festival.

According to Spall, he credits his amazing transformation to rigorous workouts and a strict diet that he religiously follows to this day, and well he sure looks fabulous!

We obviously can’t keep up with the Kardashians with all the rumors and controversies surrounding the family. Although none of the sisters know what it’s like to work hard for the money, Khloé Kardashian had gained some extra weight in 2015 and realized she had to work hard to lose it.

So she sought the help of a nutritionist who provided her with a composite diet plan. Khloe shed 40 pounds with the aid of dairy-free products, mixed sports, and routine workout sessions.

Grammy award-winning singer Adele had been on a long hiatus from social media before recently celebrating her 32nd birthday with a spectacular return to Instagram. “Thank you for the birthday love. I hope you’re all staying safe and sane during this crazy time,” she wrote in the caption.

“I’d like to thank all of our first responders and essential workers who are keeping us safe while risking their lives!” Adele showed off the results of her incredible transformation, something that she has been coy about beforehand.

After she rose to fame on Criminal Minds playing the gorgeous Penelope, the 45-year-old actress became a major style icon and motivator for plus-sized women.

Although Vangsness has endured a lot of criticism during her career for being overweight, she decided to take matters to her own hands and lost 50 pounds, looking healthy and happy. She followed a six-week plan without any crash diets or surgery. Most importantly, she learned to love and accept herself for who she is.

Growing up while surviving on junk food is definitely not the healthiest lifestyle. As a result of this bad habit, David Banner gained over 200 pounds which developed into a deadly combination of hypertension and sleep apnea. He then immediately got on a low-calorie diet and adopted a strict fitness routine.

To make things even more controlled, he switched his high-calorie salad dressing to a trimmed down version, and for his sweet tooth on his cheat days he only ate sugarless vegan cookies.

Prince Andrew’s ex-wife and Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson has lost more than three stones in the past five years. She was able to keep the weight off to this day by sticking to a special diet combining egg mayo, tomatoes, and mandarins.

The Duchess always found comfort in food and used it to take away the pain after her parents separated. After gaining thirteen stones, her strict fitness regimen and diet is what kept her staying fit.

The Australian actress, comedian and now producer is known for her role as Brynn in the movie Bridesmaids. After fighting obesity for years, Wilson decided it’s time to start a weight loss transformation and change her lifestyle to a healthier one.

She hit the gym six days a week and managed to shed 35 pounds, and she hasn’t stopped since! It’s time to say good-bye to “Fat Amy”, and hello to the new healthy and sexy woman she is!

Peter Jackson is one of the best filmmakers in Hollywood. With a flawless record such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, he always had a busy schedule. But despite having all the money and resources that could provide a healthy lifestyle, it went completely down the drain.

As a result, he gained a lot of weight and that meant he had to ditch high-calorie foods. He started eating more fruits, yogurts and vegetables. Jackson lost a staggering 80 pounds.

The singer-songwriter shocked his fans and the entire music industry by shedding 14 pounds in just two weeks, which is truly a short period. His fans were shocked and he received a lot of support. Today, Smith is keeping his healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly and staying in shape.

People speculated this transformation was so sudden due to a gastric sleeve surgery he had done. Smith never admitted it but who cares, he looks great and that’s what matters!

It is known that some people who gained some extra pounds can have life-threatening consequences. Dawn French didn’t take her health seriously. When it was revealed to her that she was diagnosed with cancer and needed to have a laparoscopic hysterectomy, Dawn decided it was time to get rid of that extra weight.

She changed her entire diet instead of getting surgery and successfully lost 98 pounds by taking long walks and intensively keeping track of her calories.

The “real Slim Shady” had a hard time back in 2007. Eminem had a life-threatening experience when he overdosed on some sleeping pills. After he checked himself into rehab, he successfully got over his addiction and felt better than ever.

He decided to change his lifestyle to a healthier one by exercising regularly. He lost 149 pounds and is still keeping the weight in check today. Monitoring his diet allowed him to stay away from unhealthy temptations.

Wayne Knight played a chubby bespectacled postman on the legendary show, Seinfeld. Although his character was iconic, Knight looks completely different from what he looked like on the show, so he decided to lose weight without a tummy tuck or any other surgical procedure.

Instead, he lived a healthy life by quitting smoking and drinking. He completely changed his diet and focused on training regularly – leading to his 40-pound weight loss transformation. He looks so handsome!

The successful actress, who started her career in the critically acclaimed film Birds of Feather was loved by many. Despite her popularity, Poline gained eight stones in just one year. She was afraid she’d be one of those has-been actresses.

As a result, she followed a strict diet, which cut her size from 28 to 12. She was fully committed to her weight loss routine, and thanks to that she’s slimmer, healthier and smiles a lot more!

The American actress was struggling with weight issues her entire life. In the series This is Us she plays a girl fighting for her weight – somewhat of a realistic portrayal of what Metz had to deal with all her life.

She was suffering from depression and anxiety attacks, so it was at that moment when she decided to take control of her weight. Starting with diets and workouts, she lost 100 pounds and continues to work on her body for a healthier future.

Shepherd launched into success when she became the co-host of The View. Thanks to the show, she had a long term career in Hollywood. After being diagnosed with type- 2 diabetes, she knew she had to get it together for the sake of her eight-year-old son.

To steer her health toward the good side and look fabulous, she hired a professional trainer who helped her lose a total of 157 pounds through a planned balanced diet and a strict workout routine.

The American Idol star, Lauren Alaina recently transformed into a completely new woman looking slim and fit. Her major weight loss journey began by keeping a healthy balanced diet combined with daily workouts.

She admitted that she learned how to portion control to reach her goal which led her to drop 31 pounds in a year and another 21 pounds six months later. Today, she’s looking strong and healthy.

Blake Lively gained a significant amount of weight while carrying her child back in 2014, just like any mom would. Right after she gave birth, she had planned to appear in The Shallows the following year. She had to get her bikini bod back for this role.

Lively immediately started following an intensive workout regimen without starving herself of course. She only stuck to healthy foods to keep a nutritious diet such as avocado, potatoes, and coconut oil.

Another actress who wanted to go back in shape after the birth of her first child was Chrissy Teigen. Even though she’s already gorgeous and she doesn’t need to lose so much weight, her weight loss plan consisted of a simple and realistic diet.

With the help of a personal trainer she was able to get back to her former figure in no time. Well, she does have the advantages of being a celebrity – personal trainers, nutritionists, and endless cheers from her fans.

Ethan Suplee is a long time friend and co-worker of Kevin Smith who was also overweight. They both decided to step into the weight loss journey together as part of a bet. Suplee lost an amazing 200 pounds after the challenge.

Rumour has it that he had a gastric sleeve surgery to help him out, but it wasn’t confirmed. Regardless, the results do speak for themselves as he followed a regular workout regimen followed by a strict diet plan.

Nathalie Portman’s career skyrocketed when she won an Academy Award for Best Actress in the film Black Swan. To prepare for the role she had to go through some struggles because Ballerinas have a strict diet, she had to abide by that routine.

Portman lost 20 pounds together with a nutritionist-approved diet plan. You can imagine this was not an easy task as she is already petite so to transform into an even more petite ballerina was a challenge. That’s exactly why the diet was well monitored by professionals.

The queen of pop Britney Spears was one of many popular celebrities who were constantly criticized ruthlessly by the media about her weight issues. Spears gained a lot of weight in 2007 when she had a mental breakdown.

Fortunately, she was able to regain control of her life, taking her mental health day by day and going on a weight loss program. Today, the pop star is happy, healthy, and weighs only 120 pounds.

Claire Richards was the front and center of the 90’s group Steps. We all danced and sang along their popular songs. Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever. After the band broke up and everyone parted ways, Richards apparently turned to food for comfort, constantly adding to her weight.

When she became pregnant with her first child, she gained an extra 80 pounds which led her to lose it all and go back to her old self with the help of a very strict diet.

Oprah Winfrey is one of the most influential women of our time. From living in poverty to being abused as a child she’s been through it all. Even with a net worth of $3 billion – she was having problems with her weight and ended up close to 237 pounds.

After trying countless diets, Winfrey decided to lose weight with a diet that consists of 20 percent protein and 30 percent fat, together with a workout plan she dropped 160 pounds!

The rapper gained a tremendous amount of weight due to a bad diet and substance abuse. He started his fitness journey back in 2014 by exercising daily and changing his diet to a healthier alternative. Ortiz dropped a whopping 50 pounds in just a few months.

He stopped drinking and using all sorts of substances that are toxic to the body. The rapper is now a completely transformed man and at the top of his healthy self.

When real people decide to completely transform their bodies it’s quite rare. In reality shows such as The Biggest Loser, not everyone can keep the weight down after the show. However, one particular contestant, Rachel Frederickson, was not only battling her weight, but she was also up against other competitors.

Luckily, she won the competition and lost 155 pounds. When the finale aired people were concerned about her looking way too skinny. Luckily she did listen and gained another twenty pounds for the sake of her health.

Saying that Matthew McConaughey is a method actor is quite an understatement. As the actor likes to reinvent himself for each and every role he takes upon himself, he managed to gain and lose weight for numerous roles. Although this is not something you should try at home, as many believe it could endanger lives, McConaughey lost 42 pounds for his role in Dallas Buyers Club.

His diet consisted of very little meat and was full of greens. Losing so much weight in a short time can be dangerous without proper supervision, so don’t try it at home!

The 55-year-old voluptuous actress we all know and love from American Pie and Legally Blond, never really cared about being skinny. Unfortunately in Hollywood things work differently. After being stuck in ‘character roles’ she decided to join a weight loss program.

She lost about 30 pounds of her body weight. She retained her curvaceous figure, but she’s maintaining her weight by eating a low carb meal plan and exercising regularly. Though it has been speculated that it was all thanks to plastic surgery, nothing has even been officially confirmed.

When Kevin Smith couldn’t fit in his airplane seat, and later suffered from a heart attack, that’s when he knew he needed to change. He joined the Weight Watchers program and lost 51 pounds by sticking to a vegan diet.

He shared his journey on Instagram: “… I was in the hospital recovering… I went to my Doctor a week later, she told me, ‘The best thing you can do for yourself now is to lose 50 pounds.’ Half a year later…I started at 256 and now I weigh 205.”

Jorge Garcia was always open about his struggles with the temptation of food. Things quickly changed when Garcia landed the role of Hugo in the series Lost which forced him to lose 30 pounds.

His weight was a concern for his fans as he reached 400 pounds. With the help of a gastric bypass, Jorge lost a few pounds and began a vegan diet. His transformation was surprising and it goes to show how effective a plant-based diet can be!

Another actor who transformed for a role was Renée Zellweger. She needed to gain 28 additional pounds for her role in Bridget Jone’s Diary. After shooting that movie, she decided she didn’t want to keep the extra pounds and it was time to say goodbye to Bridget.

So she started following a balanced diet, monitored by a professional nutritionist, and she reached her goals with spectacular results! Although it was rumored she had an eating disorder it was never confirmed. As long as she’s healthy and happy!

Most of the celebrities on this list have dealt with weight issues. However, if you thought that athletes are better at controlling their workout regimen even after they retire from sports you’d be mistaken.

Charles Barkley started to forget all about training and sports and well, just like everyone in this situation, he gained some weight. Eventually, he decided to shed it all off. With the help of some intense training and a strict diet plan, he’s as fit as a fiddle.

With some serious hits under her sleeves and a prolific career in the music industry, Elliot was always considered a little chubby. At some point, doctors warned her that she could possibly have a stroke if she keeps the weight on. She then immediately decided to change her lifestyle.

Elliot hired a professional trainer and followed a balanced diet, followed by daily workouts which helped her lose weight and become healthier. She’s looking fabulous and better than ever today!

Jordin Sparks, for those of you who may not know, is the daughter of Phillippi Sparks, who’s a former NFL player. She rose to fame after winning the sixth season of American Idol back in 2007. The famous singer wanted to lose some of the weight she gained over the years.

She started with a healthy balanced diet and daily workouts. She reached her goal and lost 50 pounds. Today she is still keeping the weight and she looks strong and beautiful!

Ricki Lake was suffering from depression for years due to her slight obesity. When she decided to start her weight loss journey she weighed 260 pounds. She followed a healthy diet and exercised every day to reach her goal but, the diet wasn’t working and she regained the weight later on.

Fortunately, after joining the cast of Dancing With the Stars in 2011, Lake lost twenty pounds successfully and she kept the weight off to this day! That’s what dedication and perseverance are all about!

The Seinfeld actor, Jason Alexander started his weight loss journey at 195 pounds. He joined the Jenny Craig weight loss program and later became a spokesman. The actor lost 14 pounds which inspired him to continue losing more weight.

He set his goal at losing another 30 pounds. He did that by cutting his daily 4500 calorie intake to 1500. He just stuck to the program with regular workouts, a simple diet, and self-motivation. The weight was gone in six months.

The comedian always tells women to embrace their bodies no matter what. She has been outspoken about her weight, but as for the decision to lose weight she kept it to herself. After being diagnosed with high blood pressure and diabetes, it was time to change her lifestyle.

She gave up fried food, junk food, sugared products and red meat. She lost 45 pounds like a champion, with the help of a trainer she also did some weight-lifting, cardio exercises for some extra definition and strength.

Timbaland rose to fame even though he had a chubby teddy bear body. Now, his fans have had to come to terms with his new fit body. At the age of 45 Timbaland is stronger, healthier and looking good!

After experiencing some complications with his health it was necessary to lose the extra weight so he decided to keep it natural just by following a workout plan and regimen. Timbaland lost a total of 130 pounds and looks incredibly fit.

Mama June was battling her obesity issues for over a decade before she finally decided it was time to lose it once and for all. She initially went on a strict diet and followed daily workouts. As her weight was tough to lose it was not enough.

She later underwent a gastric bypass surgery and had some cosmetic procedures done as well. She went down from size 24 to a size 4. She looks so much better and healthier too!

The famous actor was best known as a sweet, chubby, and funny guy who always made us laugh in his numerous comedic roles. The Hangover star, Zach Galifianakis surprised many of his fans when he appeared on the red carpet back in 2012, looking completely different, and extremely handsome!

He dropped a whopping 60 pounds by simply changing his habits and exercising regularly. Sometimes it’s a small change that makes a huge difference.

The Ugly Betty actress, America Ferrera had the most incredible weight loss transformation after she wasted years on countless diets that obviously didn’t work for her. She decided it was time to change her lifestyle completely, starting by making healthier choices.

Then, the next stage was to participate in a triathlon. She prepared for the notorious competition with a rigorous routine that consisted of swimming, running and biking which helped her get fit and stay healthy. Today, she’s still rockin’ her new physique.

Tom Arnold has had problems with his weight for quite some time. After the birth of his son, Arnold was determined to change his eating habits, to get this health back on track.

Running after your kids and playing with them requires a lot of energy, and if you’re unfit this could be a problem. He then followed a balanced diet and worked out regularly. Eventually, he lost 100 pounds, and he’s still losing more weight! Way to go!

American columnist and blogger, Perez Hilton is famous for his juicy gossips about television and movie stars. He put on a lot of weight over the years and of course that was not beneficial, as he wasn’t feeling his best. Hilton decided to work on his looks back in 2008 and lose some weight.

He started to follow a strict diet and exercise daily. By changing his bad habits and combining with a strict workout regimen, Hilton dropped an astonishing 70 pounds! He looks great!

American lawyer and television personality Star Jones worked as a prosecutor before working on NBC’s Nightly News. Later in her career she became one of the co-hosts of The View. After being diagnosed with obesity when she reached 300 pounds, Jones was determined to change.

She started by gastric bypass surgery, and maybe some other cosmetic work she had done. After her recovery she lost more than 160 pounds. By combining a good diet and exercise, Jones is still keeping her healthy weight today!

Kathleen Turner decided it was time to adapt to a healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately, that came to a halt after she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis which causes immobility, and therefore she gained quite a lot of weight.

After she spent some time in a rehab clinic back in 2002, she was ready to embark on a healthy lifestyle. The first step was to cut back any toxic substances and junk food. She incorporated pilates and yoga into her daily regimen to keep her weight in check.