Carnie Wilson discusses her weight gain after baby


Former Wilson Phillips band member Carnie Wilson lost 150 pounds in 1999 after gastric bypass surgery, but has since gained at least 50 pounds back after having a baby. Carnie is a size 16 and weighs 208 pounds. Her daughter Lola will turn three next month.

Carnie talked to OK! Magazine about her struggle with her weight. She probably needs the money that goes along with airing your personal problems in a gossip rag, but I also have to give her credit for bringing up a very important problem that faces a lot of mothers: toddler weight gain. When the screaming and begging get to be too much you don’t reach for a prescription medication and you try to avoid drinking too much to blot out the stress. You remain sober and present for your child when you scarf down three rolls of that delicious bakery bread and are rewarded with a nice carb high followed by a blood sugar crash, not that I’m speaking from experience.

In 1999, Carnie Wilson famously underwent gastric bypass surgery to cut 150 lbs. off her 300-lb. frame. Her struggle with her weight wasn’t over, though, as she gained back the pounds carrying daughter Lola, now 2. But after a stint on VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club, Carnie shed another 22 lbs. That was two years ago. Now, a month away from her 40th birthday, Carnie weighs 208 lbs. and wears a size 16. Opening up to OK!, the singer says she has hit “rock bottom” with her weight.

“Everyone can see that I’m bigger, but I cannot hibernate,” she tells OK!. “I’ve never lied or been dishonest about what’s going on in my life. Even all these years later, having had such a great weight-loss story, being back in this place is so familiar. And it hurts. I don’t want to feel this way anymore. It doesn’t feel good when you have to struggle to get your pants on.”

The source of her tremendous weight gain is snacking. Since having her daughter, the former Wilson Phillips star says she turned all her focus on her little girl, leaving little to no attention to her weight or diet.

“I had anxiety, started snacking and gained it all back and more,” she says. “I have a weakness when it comes to snacking. For me, it’s a tortilla with cheese, popcorn and graham crackers, all in one night.”

[From OK! Magazine]

Raising a child is one of the most stressful things you can do, and many people cope with that by eating. Carnie says she’s going to “lose 45 to 50 pounds and then try to get pregnant again,” but she’s about to turn 40 so she’s got to do it soon if she wants to get pregnant again naturally. She is trying to do 30 to 45 minutes of cardio every weekday and have a trainer come over three days a week.

Good luck to Carnie. She seems like she has a great personality and attitude. MSat was telling me that she heard her interviewed on the Howard Stern show a few times in the mid 90s and that she would joke around with Howard and wouldn’t shy away from the nasty topics he likes to discuss.

In 2006, Carnie told Oprah that she battled alcoholism after she lost weight and that she was “going down a dark spiral very quickly,” but that she quit drinking and then got pregnant with her daughter three weeks later.

Thanks to OK Magazine for these photos. Carnie’s interview is featured in the upcoming issue which has “Jen’s [Aniston’s] Magic Diet” on the cover.

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29 Responses to “Carnie Wilson discusses her weight gain after baby”

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  1. headache says:

    I don’t think people understand just how stressful and time sucking parenting is. I know I don’t each much during the day but as soon as the kids are asleep, I eat whatever is convenient. Rolls, graham cracker and milk and sometimes whatever is left of dinner if I feel like nuking it. I feel her pain,

  2. Ur A Loser says:

    True but all you have to do is a little backround check on Carnie & you can clearly see that she had packed some serious pounds before her pregnancy. The fact that she put more weight on is understandable BUT why would you go thru a scary procedure like gastric bypass & not take serious measures to take care of your body & keep in shape? Waist of money & time if you ask me.

  3. Breederina says:

    That is one cute kid. My understanding of gastric bypass is you have to eat very carefully afterward,
    to get enough protein and to not overwhelm your digestive system which has been altered. Excessive snacking is not on the menu.
    I wish her the best and hope she can make peace with her food issues and get healthy again.

  4. MSat says:

    Oh my gosh, what a cutiepants! I really do hope Carnie gets some help for herself. Not because I think she needs to lose weight, but because her issues with food and alcohol are obviously that these are both crutches for her that help her avoid dealing with more serious emotional problems. Her relationship with her father, Brian Wilson, has always been strained and she has said many times that it deeply hurt her when he stopped speaking to his family. I like Carnie a lot and always appreciated her blunt, from-the-heart way of dealing with the media. If she were overweight and happy with herself, that would be one thing, but clearly she’s not happy about it. Good luck to her!

  5. iheartlasagne says:

    I totally feel her pain; overeating and eating compulsively is very difficult to deal with. I have always been a heavy person, but recently got to the point that my body hurt and I was unable to do normal, everyday things. Since I realized I was killing myself, I have gone on a very strict diet with the assistance of exercise physiologists, dieticians and psychologists. For people who have never had eating/weight problems, it all seems so easy, but when you let things get out of control you have to make a complete lifestyle change. Snacking is OK, but you have to do very small portions and should be healthy veggies and fruits. It’s been proven that eating small meals 5-6 times a day is healthier than 2-3 large meal a day. I wish her all the luck, she just has to put her mind to it and stick with it. I’ve lost 25 lbs in about 2 months; I have a long way to go, but I am so excited to feel like a normal person again!

  6. Syko says:

    Congratulations on that weight loss, iheartlasagna (maybe you should become iheartbroccoli?)! I have always fought the pounds myself (and not all that successfully) and I know what a struggle it is. Last time I went to the doctor I’d actually lost 5 lb., but then one of my prescriptions for the bronchitis was for steroids. Bah.

    Heavy or no, Carnie’s a pretty woman and the baby is just adorable.

  7. Cindy Kennedy says:

    Unfortunately, gastric bypass does not work for some people. A certain percentage of people who get gastric bypass will wind up gaining most or all of their weight back.

  8. Bodhi says:

    Congrats iheart! 🙂

    I hope that Carnie finds a healthy way to reach her goals. I’m sure she wants to stay happy & healthy so she can watch her cute wee one grow up

  9. OXA says:

    I feel for her but she needs to deal with her demons, hynotherapy and a good shrink instead of excuses.
    Why would u want to lose the weight then get pregnant and gain it back again and again.
    She has so many resources available to her and so many excuses.

  10. Syko says:

    I doubt that she WANTED to lose the weight and then get pregnant and gain it back.

    I’m always taken aback at those who seem to feel that being overweight (or being very thin) is something people choose.

    I’m even more taken aback by people who think this matters in relation to the worth of a person.

  11. Bodhi says:

    No joke…

  12. headache says:

    Syko, I think OXA’s point was that it doesn’t make sense to lose the weight so you can go do something that will cause weight gain and then have to lose it over again.

    It’s the first thing I thought when I read that statement.

  13. Syko says:

    headache, thanks for your view on that. As a person always fighting the weight demons myself, I’m probably super sensitive to any criticism. I read it as Carnie was making excuses for her weight and needed therapy. Sorry if I was prickly. I still think she’s quite beautiful.

  14. OXA says:

    headache was right on my meaning. her wanting to lose it again then get pregnant again makes no sense to me.

  15. Scott F says:

    I know we’re all supposed to be super-caring and understanding of weight issues these days, but I think South Park said it best when they were talking about Jared from the Subway ads:

    “Only in America can someone be famous for going from a big fat ass to not being a big fat ass.”

    Biology, psychiatric issues, ect. are not an excuse. It’s not like it’s a problem you can ignore, or a cancer you don’t know you have. It’s pretty obvious you’re getting fat if you increase pants size every few weeks. Fat doesn’t ‘just happen’.

  16. Rianna says:

    i am feeling her…. there is nothing more appealing after a day of a screaming 2 year old, runny noses, tantrums, constant mess, bathing and playtime to sit on your ass in front of the tv watching bbc period drama adaptions while you have a microwavable sticky date pudding.
    tis why im the same size as carnie lol!

  17. Syko says:

    Actually biology does contribute, besides familial tendencies there are many medical conditions which contribute. For example, I have sleep apnea which does not respond to the CPAP machine, and it keeps my metabolism very low. That contributes. And of course psychological issues contribute. Some people eat when depressed. Some eat to celebrate because they grew up thinking that’s how you celebrate things. Many foods are “comfort foods” (see Rianna’s date pudding) – hard day, have something special to eat, to comfort yourself. Some eat when they are edgy or nervous. Others eat because for some reason they do not do well with interacting with others, and the extra weight is a wall that helps protect them.

    Nobody overeats and gets fat on purpose. And it CAN slip up on you. There aren’t that many pounds between pleasingly plump and morbidly obese. I’m not saying it should be a desirable thing. But I’d love to see more acceptance of it, and of all the differences between humans that make us each special in our own way.

  18. Anonymous says:

    poor girl….hope she finds a happy place in terms of her weight. Its terrible spending your whole life trying to be a thin person.

  19. skyblue says:

    I’ve got to agree with Scott F. The choice to eat or not eat is an entirely conscious one. There are certainly strong motivations for over-eating and psychological rewards, but the consequences are known, and the choice to over-eat is made daily.

    Then again, I have a very good friend who is morbidly obese. Over the years, I think we’ve talked about every aspect of weight control known to woman kind. And I still don’t get it. Somehow, it’s not as simple as eating less, and yet it’s also true that she could just not eat that bag of chips. No one does this to themselves deliberately, but it’s not exactly an accident. It’s a conscious act but it seems more like a compulsion.

  20. mollination says:

    She USED to be in a band….

    Are we so celebrity starved that we’ll pay ANYONE who has ever had 15 minutes of fame to talk?

    I DON’T CARE ABOUT CARNIE! Why should we? She is not a celebrity! God I’m so sick of these Tori Spelling types that USED to have careers and now make careers out of talking about their personal lives every few months! STFU!!! PLEASE!!!

    **It’s not their fault I guess. If I got paid to talk, I wouldn’t give a shit if I was relevant anymore or not either. It’s our fault for buying into it and eating it up.**

  21. Alexa says:

    I just want to say THANK YOU to Carnie and/or whoever decided to put her story out there. After seeing her on Celeb Fit Club and (was it 20/20? or Dateline?) I just fell in love with her. She’s just so loveable, down-to-earth, like you know you’d want her as your best girlfriend!!

    I LOVE YOU CARNIE!!!!!!!!!!
    Best of luck 🙂 xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

  22. Tina says:

    I am a person who went through the gbp and have now gained 40 bls. back. It is really disheartening after all you go through with the gbp to put on weight again! I want to lose the weight again, it just seems to get harder. I hope with all my heart that Carnie reaches her goals! She is a great person. While she is on her way to that goal, I hope she shares information on how she is doing it, so maybe I can reach mygoals with her inspiration. Good Luck to you Carnie!
    Your Friend, Tina

  23. iheartlasagne says:

    To those who have a hard time understanding how people become obese:

    Yes, it can be hard to understand. When you get really fat, you do realize what you’re doing, and you know that eating tht bag of chips doesn’t REALLY make you feel better, and it certainly isn’t going to help you lose weight. People with weight problems aren’t stupid, our thinking is warped. It’s sort of like an obsessive-compulsive behavior, like people who can’t stop checking the stove, oven, etc. When I first started dieting, I had a hard time getting myself to stop looking in the fridge! It’s also really hard to change behaviors that you’ve been doing for a long time. Like I said before, it does sound really easy from the outside, but it can be a lot harder than it seems.

    Yeah, I should change my name, but I still love the lasagne (and I really hate broccoli, maybe it could be iheartcauliflower)! Thanks for the support, ya’ll. That’s the key, having people around who don’t say, ‘Oh, just have one bite! Just have one drink!’ The people who tell me they’ll smack me if they see me drinking a white russian are my dearest friends.

  24. Stephani says:

    So….

    I had gastric bypass surgery in 2001, the exact same procedure Carnie had done. What no one bothered to tell us is that if your eating habits haven’t changed and become a natural part of your life, 40+ weight gain is commonplace. COMMONPLACE, people. There’s also a doctor in Arizona who says that the malabsorption factor that comes with having 4 feet of intestine bypassed doesn’t last, and we begin to absorb more calories than we were after surgery. I’m having the same problem right now, also, struggling to get off 45 lbs of unwanted weight.

    There’s no unknown way this happened, it was, for me, lack of exercise and eating too much. I don’t think anyone should be pointing fingers and mocking what she’s trying to accomplish, but in the same vein I don’t think she should be blaming the weight on a ‘baby’ that’s walking and talking now.

  25. Tina says:

    I know I have gone back to lots of my old eating habbits and for excercise it’s been along time. I was putting on my top priority list each day, but have really failed at it lately! It is amazing to me how quickly we can go back to old habbits. I feel that I am an alcoholic of foods. Mine are creamy rich sugar foods. I used to get horribly sick when having just a taste, now I am almost like I was before surgery. I am out of control and don’t know how to get it back. My daughter tells me I should be happy that I’m not 350lbs anymore. That 225lbs should be okay, and maybe that’s true, but I see how easy and quickly the weight is coming back and how out of control I am and I know what’s happening. I am afraid of being back at 350lbs. The more I think of that the more I seem to eat. It is a viscous cycle and I need to get off of it. I am glad to have found this site. Maybe talking about these things and hearing others comments will help. Best to all out there still trying. I look forward to all you have to say, Tina

  26. Suzan says:

    Carnie Wilson is a beautiful person. She has accomplished so much in her life. People should leave her alone and let her live her life. She met her goal had a baby and gained a little weight. So what. She is great. Go Carnie!!!!! You Rock. May God Bless you and your family.

  27. MARJE says:

    OVER EATING IS AN ADDICTION JUST LIKE DRINKING. IN ORDER TO SUCCEED AND KEEP WEIGHT OFF YOU HAVE TO WORK AT IT EVERY DAY. MOST PEOPLE REFUSE TO DO THAT. THEY HAVE ONE EXCUSE AFTER ANOTHER. NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS TO BE A MOM, WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME ETC. YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE EFFORT AND MAKE IT THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN YOUR LIFE. YOU NEED TO PLAN. YOU NEED STRATEGY. IT COMES DOWN TO HOW MUCH YOU REALLY WANT IT. CARNIE NEEDS TO THINK OF THE EXAMPLE SHE IS SETTING FOR HER CHILD. I WISH HER THE BEST. I HAVE BEEN WHERE SHE IS NOW. I DID NOT HAVE SURGERY BUT I HAVE LOST AND GAINED THE SAME WEIGHT OVER AND OVER.I HAVE USED EVERY EXCUSE IN THE BOOK. I WOKE UP AND REALIZED IT IS ALL ME.I HAVE TO DO THE WORK. GOOD LUCK CARNIE.

  28. angela says:

    Join the weight-gain club. Four years ago I too had the surgery. Lost 150 lbs then regained 50. I am much older than everyone on here and it is a struggle everyday. I think it’s more about addition . We use food when we have stress in our lives. no different than someone who uses alchol or drugs. to me food addiction is harder because we all need our drug to survive. Most of us are in charge of cooking. I have made changes with that but not without complaints. Being from Louisiana the family has a hard time adjusting to grilled chicken instead of rice and gravy . To all out there strugglng my heart goes out to you also my prayers. All we can do is try and think before we eat and know we will feel worse not better.

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