Al Roker has declared there is no “shame” in taking weight loss drugs.
The “Today” co-host, who had gastric bypass surgery in 2002 and has been open about his fight to stay trim, spoke out as more and more celebrities continue to come forward to admit they are on tablets and injections to control their figures.
“Everybody’s struggling with it, and we’re still trying to figure it out. But no shame, no game. Just stay within your lane, and don’t give anybody a hard time,” he said, commenting on Oprah Winfrey’s recent TV show, “An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution,” which tackled how the use of medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro for weight loss has surged in popularity.
“Hard to believe it was 20 years ago today, I wore these size 54 Levi jeans to my #gastricbypass at 340 lbs. and here I am today,” Roker said in a social media post commemorating two decades since getting his bypass surgery in 2022 alongside a picture of himself holding up his old oversized trousers.
“It’s still a struggle, but I’m never going back. I have setbacks and struggle every day, but I never forget how far I’ve come,” he added.
In June 2022, Roker also said his physical and mental health had improved since he had added light exercise and a low-carb diet to his lifestyle overhaul.
“Exercise, and not extreme exercise — we’re doing that 30-day walking challenge — that improves, I think, your mental health. Combined with a low-carb diet, I’ve lost about 45 lbs. in the last several months. I do about 100 grams of carbs a day, and I walk,” he said.
Winfrey said on her weight loss drugs show she was “really excited” about their availability after spending years being scrutinized over her body.
The media mogul also said during the hour-long program she had found “hope” in the drugs, adding she was on a mission to eliminate the “stigma and the shame and the judgment” around their use.
