Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates has finally opened up about her weight loss journey, which she describes as both a personal and transformative experience.
Bates insists that the transformation was beyond necessary, as it was related to her health, but some fans prefer her as she once was.
In an exclusive interview with People, the “Misery” star, known for her plus-size figure since the late 1990s, revealed that she lost 100 pounds after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. She detailed significant changes she made to her diet and, under medical supervision, using the popular drug Ozempic.
She initially found her weight loss process isolating, but ultimately embraced the challenge.
“Up until that time, it’s been a very solitary journey,” Bates shared during a sit-down interview, reflecting on how her diagnosis made her take action after witnessing her family’s struggles. She stated that diabetes runs in her family, noting that her father had his leg amputated and another family member is dealing with it now.
“One of my sisters is dealing with it very seriously, and it terrified me, and it scared me straight,” Bates continued, explaining what intensified her motivation.
However, “The Family That Preys” star clarified that her weight loss wasn’t solely due to the medication.
She explained that she only began using Ozempic after losing 80 pounds through cutting out junk food, avoiding sweets, and learning to push her “plate away” when she was full.
According to the “Annie” actor, she decided to pay closer attention to her body’s signals.
“Biologically what happens is we get a message from a hormone in our brain called ghrelin that tells us when we’re hungry. We eat,” she noted, “And then another message from protein says we’re full.”
While working on a film in Montreal, the “Annie” actor began losing weight naturally, aided by the cold environment and physical activity.
As the pounds came off, her motivation grew: “I got really excited because I could see what was happening, so that kept me going.”
Despite facing plateaus, she pushed through, learning to recognize the signs when her progress stalled, like her pants fitting tighter.
Bates admitted to indulging in unhealthy foods in the past but realized it was time to make lasting changes, sharing, “I used to eat terribly … burgers and cokes and pizza and all the kinds of things that weren’t healthy for me, and I knew I had to stop eating all that stuff and go on my medication.”
After losing 80 pounds, the 76-year-old, who was about to retire before getting the role as Maddie Matlock in her new series, “Matlock,” turned to the medication Ozempic, under her doctor’s supervision, to lose the last 15-20 pounds.
“I was able to do the last bit, but I have to impress upon people that this is hard work for me,” she emphasized. Bates credits determination and mindful eating for her success, stating, “The more I did it, the better I felt, and the more in control I felt.”
When the Daily Mail covered the story, their fans weighed in, either saying that she was not being transparent about her weight loss until coming under fire or they thought she looked just fine as a heavyset woman.
“Stop the lying,” one person wrote. “It’s not a coincidence that very suddenly a whole lot of hefty celebs are dropping major amounts of weight just when Ozempic has become widely available.”
“‘Setting the record straight’ as is written in the headline is hardly the same as telling the truth,” one comment read, referencing the outlet’s slant in covering the story.
Another person commented, “She actually looked better with more weight.” Another agreed, writing, “Kathy looks great! More importantly, she’s taken charge of getting healthier.”
Kathy Bates lost a ton of weight over 6-7 years. Asked how it has helped she said
“It’s helped me tremendously that, over the last six or seven years, I’ve lost 100 pounds,” pic.twitter.com/0n9WJUcpXf
— Theresa Longo Fans (@BarkJack_) September 12, 2024
However one critic said, “So only now, after people calling her out on this rather serious weight loss, she says the last 20 pounds were because of Ozempic…of course it is hard to lose it naturally. Whatever she did, I wish actors wouldn’t tell half-true stories. People need motivation to eat right, exercise, and go for a more healthy approach generally. Ozempic does not belong into this category.”
One fan, who followed her career, was quick to defend her.
“She started losing weight before Ozempic was released,” the fan stated. “The drug came out in 2021 but if you look at pictures of her from around 2017/18 onward you can see her shrinking, it happened quite gradually and you can tell she put in effort.”
The person continued, “Nothing wrong with using Ozempic at all, it’s clear the drug is helping many and it would be ideal for getting rid of that last bit of weight. I appreciate that she’s being honest when many are still claiming they aren’t using it.”
Regardless of the naysayers, she feels great about her being able to fit in a size 10 and having the wardrobe stylist being able to pull clothes from the rack for the production.
Looking ahead, she’s focused on maintaining her weight, especially now that she’s no longer running back and forth on film sets.
“I want to do everything I can to keep my exercise up because that certainly has contributed to keeping my weight off.”
