Lizzo ditched weight loss drug Ozempic and instead “worked really, really hard” to slim down. The Grammy-winning artist joins a growing number of celebrities who have spoken openly about their experiences with GLP-1 medications, which have become increasingly popular in recent years.
The 37-year-old pop star has been sharing updates from her weight loss journey and she has now revealed she briefly used the controversial medication to help her shift some pounds, but she gave up and focused on improving her diet instead. Ozempic, originally developed for Type 2 diabetes, has gained significant attention for its off-label use in weight management.
“I tried everything. Ozempic works because you eat less food, yeah? So if you eat right, it makes you feel full,” Lizzo explained during an appearance on the Just Trish podcast. Medical professionals note that GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic work by slowing gastric emptying and affecting hunger hormones in the brain.
“It’s not easy. It’s a drug to help somebody with something they’re struggling with. I think people … it’s their way of being fat phobic when you’re telling someone they’re cheating,” she added of the medication. “But if you can just do that on your own and get mind over matter, it’s the same thing.” Healthcare experts emphasize that weight management medications should be viewed as legitimate medical tools rather than shortcuts.
Lizzo went on to reveal her biggest breakthrough came when she ditched her vegan diet. Plant-based eating has surged in popularity over recent years, though nutritionists stress the importance of proper meal planning to ensure adequate nutrition and satiety.
“What did it for me is, it was not being vegan. Because when I was vegan, I was consuming a lot of fake meats,” she said. “I was eating a lot of bread, I was eating a lot of rice and I had to eat a lot of it to stay full. But really I was consuming 3,000-5,000 calories a day…” Research indicates that highly processed plant-based alternatives can be calorie-dense and may not provide the same satiety as whole foods.
“So for me, when I started actually eating whole foods and eating like beef, and chicken, and fish. Like, I was actually full and not expanding my stomach by putting a lot of fake things in there that wasn’t actually filling me up,” she continued. Protein-rich whole foods are known to provide greater feelings of fullness and require more energy to digest compared to processed alternatives.
“I feel like I worked really really hard and it was intentional with what I did with my body,” she added of making healthy changes. “So when I get compliments, I go: ‘Thanks b****.’ Like I really receive it because I need to receive that. I don’t take it any weird way because I tried to do this.'” Mental health professionals recognize that acknowledging personal achievements can be crucial for maintaining motivation in long-term lifestyle changes.
It comes after Lizzo admitted she previously used food to “distract” herself when she was battling anxiety issues, but she’s managed to boost her mental health using meditation. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions, with emotional eating serving as a frequent coping mechanism for many individuals.
“I’ve been working to get my anxiety under control for years. And then I decided that I want to release and I’m ready to stop waiting to be myself like fully and be happy,” she explained in a video posted as a TikTok Live. “And I meditated. I calmed myself down. And I isolated a little bit, but not like made myself lonely, not the way I used to when I was depressed. I isolated myself in a mindful way where I had no distractions.” Clinical studies have consistently shown that regular meditation practice can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms and improve overall mental well-being.
“I loved to distract myself with people. I loved to distract myself with food. I loved to distract myself with drinking. I loved to distract myself with problems that I would create. I would love to do that. And I stopped doing that. And I just focused on me,” she continued. Breaking patterns of emotional eating often requires addressing the underlying psychological triggers that lead to these behaviors.
In the video, Lizzo also spoke about her weight loss admitting she stopped drinking “two to three” large Starbucks drinks a day and swapped sugary treats for savoury snacks. Large specialty coffee drinks can contain significant amounts of calories and sugar, making them a common source of excess daily caloric intake.
“I do something sweet. It’s gotta be with some sort of like carb. I’ll have like almond butter and toast. So, everybody’s body is different,” she said. “Find out what works for you … [I believe the only thing that] works across the board, science-wise, is calories in versus calories out. That’s just how the human body works.” Nutritionists universally agree that sustainable weight management fundamentally depends on creating an appropriate caloric balance while maintaining proper nutrition and overall health.
