Oprah Winfrey is still talking about weight, diets and Ozempic. Previously, we discussed Oprah’s comments – made during a panel discussion – about her mixed or negative feelings about weight loss drugs. I think there was some nuance to what she said, but the headline (which I used) was her quote about feeling like Ozempic is “the easy way out” for someone who wants to or needs to lose weight. You also have to remember that Oprah was trying to spur real conversation about the science and mentality of weight gain and weight loss. During the same panel discussion, Oprah spoke about what life was like for her when she was at her heaviest:
Oprah Winfrey is speaking candidly about dealing with weight stigma. The media mogul, 68, recently hosted a panel, Oprah Daily’s “The Life You Want Class: The State of Weight,” where she discussed the obesity and weight crisis, which affects 2 billion adults globally. She held the conversation alongside obesity specialists Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford and Dr. Melanie Jay, psychologist Dr. Rachel Goldman and Sima Sistani, the CEO of WeightWatchers.
During the panel, Winfrey told those in attendance, “You all know I’ve been on this journey for most of my life. My highest weight was 237 lbs. I don’t know if there is another public person whose weight struggle has been exploited as much as mine over the years.”
“You all have watched me diet and diet and diet,” she continued, before noting that it’s “a recurring thing because my body always seems to want to go back to a certain weight.”
Detailing that she would notice how people would treat her differently when she weighed over 200 lbs., Winfrey said, “This is a world that has shamed people for being overweight forever. And all of us who’ve lived it know that people treat you differently, they just do,” she continued.
The former talk show host then explained that she found she dealt with that stigma the most while shopping.
“It’s that thing where people are like, ‘Let me show you the gloves. Would you like to look at the handbags? Because we know that there’s nothing in here for you,’ ” she said. “There is a condescension. There is stigma.”
Yeah, she’s right. Even when I was at my slimmest, years ago, I was probably a size 10/12 (in American sizing) and I got the same looks whenever I went shopping in one of those boutiques full of clothes for size-4 people exclusively. The thing about being heavier or overweight is that you immediately limit your expectations too – it’s not just about people stigmatizing you, you stigmatize yourself, you say “oh, I can’t shop there, they won’t have anything for me, I can’t do that, I won’t be welcome there.” It wears you down.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 26: Oprah Winfrey attends the Los Angeles Red Carpet Premiere Event for Hulu’s “The 1619 Project” at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on January 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 752278646, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Oprah Winfrey, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 26: Oprah Winfrey attends the Los Angeles Red Carpet Premiere Event for Hulu’s “The 1619 Project” at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on January 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 752278862, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Oprah Winfrey, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
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- Oprah Winfrey interviews Santa Barbara County Fire Fighter Sam Dudley and his dog Ronda (Sam was able to get the emotional support dog through the One805! Foundation) at a benefit concert for Santa Barbara first responders on Kevin Costner’s estate in Montecito, USA, on 22 September 2023.,Image: 807666083, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: JERRY PEREZ / Avalon
I put on so much weight in the pandemic that I don’t know how to dress myself well. Just buying the same cheap clothes over and over on Amazon because I am too nervous to go into a shop and ask for help. Sigh.
I hate that you feel like this.
So many people put on weight during the pandemic: the stress, the inability to go to the gym and maintain a routine, many more working from home and not getting the activity and engagement that they typically do. I can’t believe we’re still f*cking making people feel bad about something that none of us had any control over.
Take a look at eShakti.com. You can customize, not just to any size, but change sleeve style/length, neckline, garment length etc. You can order from a set-size list or send your personal measurements in, and if the garment doesn’t fit you send it back and they’ll correct it for free. They work to be sustainable as well. Wide range of styles/fabrics. Not cheap in price but also not cheap in quality, and far from the most expensive things you can buy. They’ve recently added leather items, which will be off-putting for some.
I hear you, Shawna. Slightly different circumstances, but ultimately the same feelings. I was always very slim than I was diagnosed with cancer and put on steroids after which I put on 12 kg. I was not used to being heavier and I absolutely hated it. I also bought so many cheap clothes from Amazon because I was too ashamed to go into a shop. Then for me things turned only when I was taken off the steroids because I was moving onto new more effective chemotherapy. So I truly understand how horrible it is to feel as you do now on. Sending you lots of love
If you’re midsize, I highly recommend taryntruly on instagram. She is apple-shaped and so stylish. Dianadares is great for plus-sized fashion. Both women are beautiful and confident and inspire me with my outfits!
Oprah needs to look into body acceptance and intuitive eating. I feel like, yes, there is still stigma, but also that lately there has been so many advancements in body acceptance. Although I guess that was just a trend and we will go back to worshipping skinny people, which is being attributed to ozempic.
I had pandemic, menopause, end of 20 year relationship and then start of a new relationship (accelerated because of pandemic) at same time. I put on 30lbs quickly – some stress eating, some the result of eating pattern of my partner who loves processed foods, fast food). In early August I signed up for a weight loss program that promotes mindful eating. I have lost 20 lbs. 10 more to go just to get to pre pandemic weight. I have another weight loss goal after that. I would have qualified for ozempic but I’m not sure of the long term consequences. Fortunately a Fitbit and healthier choices are working for me. The struggle is real. People treat me better when I am at a weight deemed acceptable. Sigh … I can’t imagine having my weight struggle play out in the public sphere.
Menopause weight gain is no joke. I am so hungry all the time.
I’m perimenopausal. 51 next week. I also put on weight during the pandemic, but towards the end I completely overhauled my diet and exercise regime. I’m vegan now, and exercise religiously 7 days a week. I exercise to combat my anxiety, but I was surprised at what a difference it’s made to every aspect of my life: sleep, aches and pains, energy levels, confidence, self esteem, and yes… also weight loss.
I started 2 years ago and now I’m fitter than I’ve ever been and feel better than I’ve ever felt. However, it is crazy how as you get older you need much fewer calories than in the past. That certainly took some adjusting to.
Post-menopausal here and holy, the struggle is real. I managed to stay stable during the pandemic but gained 15 pounds once everything opened up (also changed to a much more desk driven job).
My doctor and I discussed Ozempic/Munjauro. I could qualify for a trial but I’m not diabetic and not ready, at this point, to start any medication I would likely have to be on for life and/or could never afford if I had to pay for it out of pocket. Maybe I’ll change my mind at some point, but not there yet.
The difficulties come through in big and small ways – stores that don’t stock your size, and those that do only offering the frumpy clothes and never the cute ones, or if they are selling bras and panties the larger sizes are on the rack on the bottom and picked over … so the people who are the smaller sizes get to stand up like regular people and flip through all the nice options and the people who wear size 7-8 and above have to crouch or kneel down and decide which of the 8 black or white granny panties are the least soul crushing (that was my experience as a teen) … women who wore sizes above 8 were entirely SOL. And these days while there is the promise of a range of sizes online, quite often the cute styles or nice colors are “out of stock” or not even offered in the larger sizes. There is a whole range of colors that are the common offerings in larger sizes, aside from black … my friend and I refer to them as the clown colors – purple (not wine, not plum, not fig … crayon purple only), royal blue, a particular bold green-blue and for some reason, patterns of orange or pink/purple/rose.
In those situations, it may not be any given person purposefully plotting to treat overweight people as less than, it’s just that they or their suppliers don’t even think about larger sized people, that’s not who they are imagining wearing their clothes or buying their clothes, or if they think about them, they think of them as outliers and/or they imagine them as frumpy 60 year olds transported from 1980 who only want to wear tents or boxy clothes that completely hide their bodies and couldn’t possibly want something cute or stylish or trendy.
I’m tall and overweight and finding clothes that fit and look good is a huge challenge. I would love to dress better than I do but it’s an uphill battle. Only a few stores offer tall sizes and almost exclusively online. The selection is very small and it’s usually black pants that are in stock. Shoes are even worse. I have been told by salespeople to try the men’s section but I want cute shoes too! I have bought men’s running shoes but it is soul crushing. I’m also a size 16 so it just adds another layer of difficulty.
She’s not wrong. For some reason, many people still think fat-shaming works as an effective way for short or long-term weight loss. Never in the history of anything anywhere has it been shown to be true. It may produce temporary results but it usually just produces strained relationships and disordered eating.
I can attest my fat-shaming Mother used to love to berate me about my weight since I was a teenager. All it did was make me more depressed and turn to more comfort food in secret to fill the emotional hole in my heart. And was resigned to being invisible and worthless in society.
Now I weigh less than her and she hasn’t given me one compliment or addressed the weight loss. Since she is jealous I am thinner than her. I know she is patiently waiting for me to fail and gain it back. It’s my inspiration to keep going and not fall back into bad habits.
Do I fat shame her? No, I don’t. But I do send her healthy recipes and make sure we have a balanced diet when I visit her. I won’t continue the cycle. I want to break the chain.
Here, here! PREACH!!
I am female, 5’9 and at my heaviest, I was 266 pounds. I had blinders on about it and my health was deteriorating. I had emergency gallbladder removal and my blood pressure was through the roof. I weighed more than an NFL linebacker. I also had a tummy hernia. My surgeon pulled no punches. She said I had to get my weight down or it was going to be a recurring issue with this kind of hernia. I didn’t have the luxury of taking a month off from my job for medical leave every few years. My fat literally had busted through my abdomen muscles (like I had any muscles lol). And overall mental health I was miserable.
I was also nutritional ignorant I grew up with a family that ate no vegetables and carbs were the staple of our dishes.
I found a great nutritionist who focused on nutrition and what food plan was best for my body type. And work on my insulin resistance. He took one look at my stomach and knew.
For me, the Mediterranean food plan was great for me. I am down 70 lbs and have kept it off through the pandemic. Though now I am entering menopause I can feel the weight creeping back up. So I always have to be more vigilant about my choices and stay on a schedule for exercise. I am always happier when I go to the gym or ride my bike when the weather is nice. Those endorphins start firing up and it’s a great overall feeling afterwards.
I see nothing wrong with medical intervention for weight loss. It’s just when people use it as a crutch and expect it to do all the work. Or abuse it. Without changing their habits, failure happens. It’s just a tool to help you get on the path. You still have to do the real work.
I really don’t care about being skinny, I just don’t want to die young.
what is wrong is US culture promotes unhealthy binge eating behavior, and all the food industries set it up that we have poor access to healthy food, food deserts and then you’re set up to fail. I think there is a fine line between fat shaming and promotion of healthy body weight. No one should feel bad and inferior…but we also have a horrible widespread obesity epidemic. Yes, there should be body positivity, but I also don’t think it’s ok for us to normalize being overweight and obese.
When you find a society that “normalizes being overweight and obese” please let us know.
Some of us would just like be viewed and treated as human beings, as a whole person worthy of rights and respect and fair treatment instead of winding up on the receiving end of scorn, judgment, discrimination, medical malpractice, etc, as we move through the world on the basis of our bodies.
This reminds me of the time I wanted to show my friend this shop that sources vintage fabric and makes fifties style dresses with them. And my friend was like on they’ll have nothing in my size. I explained that first of all, I wouldn’t take her somewhere with no clothes for her and the sizing is actually quite inclusive for a small business. (They go up to at least a 24).
Anyhow I didn’t say this cuz I didn’t want to harp on it. But it made me sad cuz I just wondered how many times friends had inadvertently made her feel bad about herself by taking to clothes shop that only stocked up to an XL.
(For context we’re both plus size but I’m L/XL so I have a somewhat easier time finding clothes in mainstream brands).