Marie Osmond's journey with weight loss is a compelling narrative of personal struggle, family inspiration, and ultimately, self-acceptance. From the pressures of maintaining a certain image in Hollywood to prioritizing her health for her family and finding a sustainable path to wellness, Osmond's story offers valuable insights into the complexities of weight management and body image.
Early Struggles with Body Image
Marie Osmond's career began at a young age, and she achieved her first big hit at 13 with her No. 1 country hit "Paper Roses." At 16, she and her brother Donny Osmond were headlining their own network television variety show. Growing up in the entertainment industry, Osmond faced immense pressure to conform to certain body standards. She recalls being bodyshamed as a teen. She has spoken openly about the unrealistic expectations and harsh criticisms she faced, especially during the era of Twiggy in the ‘70s. Osmond recounted a particularly hurtful experience when she was 15 and co-hosting the original "Donny & Marie" show in Los Angeles. She remembers being taken out to a parking lot and told that at 5’5" and 103 pounds, she was fat and an embarrassment. The threat was that if she didn’t keep food out of her "fat face," the whole show would be canceled, and 250 people would lose their jobs.
These experiences led to extreme dieting practices. Osmond previously told Fox News Digital that she would "literally starve myself for three days before taping," by drinking lemon water and cayenne pepper with maple syrup. She said she "tried to stay thin" but was "always on a diet" and realized she had body dysmorphia. Years later, she "literally wept" when she thought about "what a horrible thing I did to myself" by taking on such extreme dieting practices during those years.
Osmond realized that she had body dysmorphia and made the decision to fix that. Body dysmorphia, also known as body dysmorphic disorder, is a mental health condition that disrupts how you see and feel about your own body and appearance, per the Cleveland Clinic.
A Turning Point: Family as Inspiration
In the mid-2000s, Marie Osmond reached a turning point in her weight loss journey. She'd gained more weight than felt healthy to her, but after decades of struggling with extreme dieting and body dysmorphia as a young woman in the spotlight, she knew that she wanted to avoid a pattern of yo-yo dieting and self-starvation. Marie Osmond says that her children were her inspiration to embark on a 50-lb. weight loss journey back in the mid-2000s. Osmond was at her heaviest in 2007. At the time, she was 165 pounds and a size 14.
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"I was in a situation that I had to get out of," Osmond remembers. "I had put 50 lbs on. That's a lot of weight on me. I'm only 5'5. I'm very petite.""God had to make me that way to make Donny look macho," she joked in passing.
But all jokes aside, it took an honest family conversation for Osmond to address the issue. The catalyst for change came during a divorce when her oldest son spoke to her "on behalf of all the kids." Her son's concern became a major turning point. "Women don't live long in our family," the former Hallmark Channel star explained. "And so my son came to me, on behalf of all my children, and said, 'Mom, you're not gonna live long. You gotta lose weight. It has nothing to do with what you look like. It has to do with that we need you in our lives.'" Marie Osmond said that at her heaviest, she received a wake-up call from her son.
That perspective on the situation - the losing weight was a necessary step towards remaining in her children's lives for the years and decades ahead - was a marked shift from the pressure and "head trips" Osmond faced to stay thin as a young star.
This realization-that her weight was impacting her health and potentially shortening her time with her loved ones-motivated her to prioritize her well-being. Osmond realized that she needed to make a change not for the sake of appearance, but for the sake of her health and her family.
Finding a Sustainable Solution with Nutrisystem
Around that time, in 2007, she was also a contestant on Dancing With the Stars - another factor in her weight loss, she adds. In 2007, it was announced that Osmond would appear as a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars." The competition series pairs celebrities with professional dancers where they rigorously train for performances. Osmond shared that it was during her time on the show that Nutrisystem "found me." "I needed to get the weight off because the 50 lbs in spandex was not going to be pretty," she added with a laugh.
Read also: How Nutrisystem Helped Marie Osmond
That year, she tried Nutrisystem, the personalized meal delivery program, to help her slim down to a size 4. Marie Osmond lost 50 pounds 15 years ago - and has managed to keep the weight off. (Nutrisystem)
Osmond doesn’t refer to NutriSystem as a diet, but it could be argued that it is one-the program provides high-protein, ready-made meals and snacks to help members reach weight loss goals. Osmond had experienced both excessive weight loss and what she deemed excessive weight gain, and NutriSystem helped her find a middle ground, she said. Osmond insisted she was able to stick with the regimen because "it’s not a diet." Instead, it changed her relationship with food.
"I call it ‘Dancing with the Starved,’" Osmond joked about her time on the show. "Fifty pounds overweight and spandex was not beautiful. And so, I went on Nutrisystem. It literally was my last-ditch effort. And I learned for the first time in my life that food was not the enemy. I lost at least 10 pounds a month. That’s a dress size… And within four months, I was down to my weight. And I couldn’t believe that body was still inside me."
For the New Year, Osmond teamed up with Nutrisystem once more to kick off Complete 55, a plan designed for women ages 55+.
Osmond learned to incorporate healthy choices into her daily life and credits the program for helping her do so. “Nutrisystem wasn’t just another diet, it was a lifestyle change,” she says. “The lessons they taught me have stayed with me.
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One important takeaway Osmond has learned from her program that’s helped her keep the weight off is portion control. “Thanks to Nutrisystem, I learned, for the first time in my life, that food was not the enemy,” she shares. “I learned what a proper portion size looked like. I learned that you could enjoy food and live healthily.” She adds, “Most importantly, I learned that I need to eat multiple times throughout the day.
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Now, about a decade and a half after that journey, Osmond has kept the weight off and is enjoying family time more than ever, especially the experience of being a grandmother. Marie Osmond has maintained her 50-pound weight loss for 15 years - and the entertainer revealed it’s her secret to looking and feeling youthful. The singer previously told Closer Weekly that she never lets herself "get more than five pounds overweight," which typically happens during the holidays.
Osmond shares, “Honestly, I don’t have a 20-year-old body, but I certainly don’t have a 63-year-old body, either! Not only can extra pounds lead to serious health issues like stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, and more, but Osmond explains how being overweight can affect all areas of your life, which is why she will always work hard at making healthy decisions. “Weight can age you and make you feel even older than you really are! It also takes away the joy of being active in your own life, as well as with your children and grandchildren,” she says. “It not only destroys your health, but it also affects your mental health, too. And when you hear the world saying, ‘Love me however I am,’ I think you need to love yourself enough to be the best version of yourself, so that you can live your fullest, most beautiful life.
"At this stage of my life, I can tell you that weight ages you," the 63-year-old told Fox News Digital. "It also takes away the joy out of being active with your children and grandchildren. It takes away your health, even mentally. It’s not healthy for you. And when you hear the world saying, ‘Love me however I am,’ I think you love yourself to be the best version of you… so that you can live your fullest, most beautiful life. That’s why I have continued this.’"
In addition to eating healthy, Osmond “loves to be active.” She tells us, “My year-round favorite is walking and listening to audiobooks. I love to read so by making it a part of my exercise, it’s how I get my steps in.” She continues, “My husband, Steve and I love to hike and explore. I’m also checking things off my bucket list. I just went ziplining over a waterfall and I went skydiving. I actually jumped!
Osmond's Go-To Healthy Foods
Osmond also shared some of her favorite healthy foods that help her stay on track:
- “I am a big fan of grilled chicken because it’s packed with protein to keep me feeling full.
- Chopped veggies like cucumbers, peppers, and carrots are always in my fridge. These are so easy to throw in salads or eat as a side for any meal. I also make sure they are already cut and in clear containers so I can see them easily.
- Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits.
- Spinach is another favorite. It’s low in calories, but big in flavor and nutrients. I love how you can use it as a base for a salad, sauté it as a side for dinner, or throw it in the blender as an addition to a smoothie.
- I always have lemons on hand. I love the flavor and will cut them up and add them to my water.
A Newfound Sense of Freedom and Joy
Osmond is really happy with where she is regarding her weight loss journey and shares. Osmond has a busy life professionally and personally. She has multiple grandkids she spends a lot of time with and loves traveling with her husband. She admits if she was heavier, she couldn’t enjoy her active lifestyle. Marie Osmond said she loves being a grandma and having more energy to spend with her family. (Nutrisystem)
“I would never go back to where I was 50 pounds overweight,” she states. “My last album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard. I never could have done that without the health and energy I have now.
"I mean, I thought I'd never love anything as much as my children. Oh my gosh. Grandchildren are like having your kids on steroids," she goes on to say. "It's just so cool, I can't tell you. As a parent, you have to guide them. You're not their friend. You're their parent. When you're the grandma - who cares? I can do anything I want."
During the coronavirus pandemic, Osmond had the energy to take her decades-long singing career in a different direction. In 2021, she released a 17-song album titled "Unexpected," in which she sang a mix of classical, opera and Broadway tunes backed by the Prague Symphony Orchestra. She also starred in her third Lifetime holiday movie "A Fiancé for Christmas."
In 2019, she and Donny, 65, ended their 11-year Las Vegas residency. During the holidays in 2022, she led a sold-out tour. These days, she’s just happy to be grandma. Marie Osmond is seen here performing at Centre In The Square on December 1, 2022, in Kitchener, Ontario. (Jeremychanphotography/Getty Images)
"I really love being a grandma," she gushed. "When you get down to this stage of life, the most important thing you have is your health and your family. And it’s truly in that order, too. You can have a family, but if you can’t participate in their lives because you’re sick… it’s why I’m a big advocate for getting weight under control. It makes such a difference. Believe me, it changed my life to get it off me. The best youth pill you can take is to just be healthy."
"I spent the last 11 years at a Las Vegas residency," she shared. "You miss the football games, you miss the basketball games. You miss those things. And I don’t want to miss them anymore. I’m still doing the things I love. I’m still performing and I feel so blessed. On my Christmas tour, I had a bunch of 20-year-old girls in the front row. I looked down at them from the stage and said, ‘Do you guys even know who I am?’ And they said, ‘Yeah, we found you on YouTube!’… This whole new generation is finding me and they’re just so cute. There are three projects I’m looking at right now, but I just love being a grandma. I really love all of life."
A Message of Health and Self-Acceptance
At 64, actress, singer, and entertainer Marie Osmond has “done more living” than ever, “because I’m healthy,” she told Drew Barrymore while recently co-hosting The Drew Barrymore Show. Osmond, now 64, began working with and using NutriSystem around age 50, she told Barrymore, which helped her lose 50 pounds.
By the time Osmond was 50, she opted to give up traditional dieting for good. “I just got tired of dieting when I got in my 50s, and my body hated me,” she said. Given Osmond’s history, starting NutriSystem was an adjustment. “I was so scared because I had never eaten so much food in my life,” she said. “And I realized that we do not need to starve and we do not need to diet and we don’t need to be skinny. We need to be healthy.”
Dieting can be harmful because the mindset doesn’t teach healthy habits, so Osmond instead focuses on positive lifestyle choices. “The minute you think ‘dieting,’ you think, ‘Oh, I can’t have this,’ and it becomes restrictive,” she explains. “That’s not what living a healthy life is about. I believe in moderation of all things.
“We don’t need to be skinny. We need to be healthy,” she said.
Osmond's journey is a testament to the importance of prioritizing health over unrealistic beauty standards, finding motivation from loved ones, and discovering a sustainable path to wellness.