Chrissy Metz, celebrated for her role as Kate Pearson on "This Is Us," shares more than just a character with similar life experiences. Metz, like Kate, has openly discussed her personal weight loss journey, including the emotional challenges and triumphs experienced while filming the show. Her openness has resonated with many, particularly women, who see their own struggles reflected in her story.
Connecting with Kate Pearson
Metz has expressed a deep connection to her character, Kate, emphasizing how many people, especially women, relate to her journey of navigating imperfections, trials, tribulations, shame, and guilt. She told US Weekly in 2022, “What I will miss most about Kate is that I think so many people, not even just women, relate to her and her walking imperfectly through her trials and tribulations and all the shame and guilt that she’s carried for so long. So many women have shared their experiences” with Metz, celebrating what it means to see someone with similar lived experience as them on screen.
The role shaped her approach to body image and weight loss, allowing her to explore the mental and emotional aspects of these issues.
Early Life and Weight Struggles
In a 2017 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Metz shared that she had struggled with her weight "all my life". She said, "I was born chubby and as I got older at different times in my life I was thinner or more active or playing sports but I was definitely always a chubbier kid,".
Growing up, Metz was aware of the impact her weight had on her relationships, noting that her friends "could eat whatever they wanted to but I knew that as a kid if I ate certain things I would totally gain weight," adding that she "had to be really cognizant of what I ate." Food was a "beautiful bonding" experience for her family, which she said likely put strain on those familial relations amid her journey to lose weight as a child, but there were also challenges. In her book, “This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today,” Metz opened up about traumatic weigh-ins as a child with her stepfather, who she referred to as “Trigger.” “My body seemed to offend him, but he couldn’t help but stare, especially when I was eating,” she wrote. “He joked about putting a lock on the refrigerator.” She recalled, “When I was 14, Trigger began weighing me. He’d get the scale from the bathroom and clang it hard on the kitchen floor. ‘Well, get on the damn thing!’ Trigger would yell.”
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Relating to the "This Is Us" scenes that saw Kate going through puberty with weight concerns, Metz recalled her own experience at Weight Watchers as a pre-teen. "I remember going to Weight Watchers when I was like 11. I was the youngest person in the damned room and it was awkward," she said.
The 'This Is Us' Effect
Just as Kate was losing weight on the show, Metz said in the same interview with The Hollywood Reporter that she was on her own journey. In the 2017 interview, Metz described weight loss as "something I've struggled with and contemplated." "I have lost weight and I’ve gained weight back," she said. "I wouldn’t have this amazing role if I’d already lost all the weight. So I have to believe that everything happens for a reason and I do feel that way in life." At the time, she said the weight loss is “definitely going to happen,” but noted that her character shows the reality of the process and what emotions come up during that time.
Metz told TVLine in 2016 that Kate's storyline ultimately led to benefits in her own health. “That was a win-win for me,” she said. “Because it’s one thing to try to do it on your own. But as human beings, it’s an ego thing: We’re more likely to do something for someone else.”
A Turning Point
Metz began her acting career as a size 12 but lost 50 pounds before moving to Los Angeles, on the advice of her manager. When success didn't come as quickly as hoped, Metz explained that she began “eating my feelings” and gained 100 pounds. She then experienced a panic attack, which she said sent her to the hospital and changed her health trajectory at the time. Following this, Metz lost 100 pounds in less than five months. “All I did was eat a 2,000-calorie diet and walk 20 minutes a day,” she told the publication.
Shifting Focus: Health Over Numbers
Metz told Marie Claire in a 2017 interview that she wasn't aware at the time how much she weighed, emphasizing that she wasn't using a scale. “I don’t worry about numbers,” she told the publication. “It just messes with my mind.” In a 2018 interview with People, Metz said she was losing weight on her own timeline, adding that her journey was “not for anybody but myself.” At the Wrap Women’s Power Women Summit in October 2019, Metz said, “Whether I lose weight or I don’t, I don’t really hold onto like a number,” she shared.
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“It’s important for every individual to determine what makes them happy and how to get to that,” she continued. “It’s going to take some time.” Metz said she hoped to convey through Kate that health can look different on each person, regardless of size. “People are like, ‘Wait, what? You got your blood work done and you have like great, perfect cholesterol? Like, it doesn’t make sense. I’m like, ‘I want you to know it’s real,’” Metz said. “Contrary to popular belief or what we’re told about what looks healthy or what doesn’t look healthy.”
Addressing Misconceptions
In Season One of "This Is Us," Kate considers gastric bypass surgery to loss weight, which led to the one question Metz said she wishes people wouldn't ask her in real life. “The question I wish people would stop asking me is, ‘Are you having weight-loss surgery? Are you gonna be doing a gastric bypass?’” she said on TODAY in Sept. 2017. “I’m good, boo,” she said.
The Importance of Self-Worth
Amid being open about the physical impact that accompanies weight loss, Metz has been a big advocate for mental health. In June 2023, Metz told Woman’s World that she wants people to remember their "bodies don't define us" and act as vessels for our purpose. “If all you are thinking about is that you want to lose weight, but you feel like you are not going to be able to because you’re not worthy…then you won’t ever,” she said. “It is so important that you realize that just as we are, we are enough.”
Metz continued, “I always say, ‘If you don’t love yourself for who you are right now, you’re never going to get to the place you want to be.’ So it’s about being gentle and kind and we get so fixated on what our outward bodies look like.”
In a 2019 episode of "This Is Us," Kate was unable to fit in a booth at a restaurant, which prompted an emotional response from viewers. On social media, one person shared their reaction, saying they live in "booth nightmare." Providing words of encouragement, Metz responded to the tweet, “Your weight does not define you! People’s perceptions are theirs. You are worthy and purposeful no matter what.”
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Metz's Methods: Diet and Exercise
Back in 2010, Metz lost 100 pounds in less than five months by following a 2,000-calorie diet and walking 20 minutes daily. Metz’s two-pronged approach highlights the value of consistency over extreme measures like over-exercising or restricting.
In an October 22, 2024, episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show, Metz reflected on how there wasn’t as much awareness regarding food issues and behavior at the time. “Maybe he was just fearful. I don’t really know,” she said. “Why does my weight equate my worthiness? And as a 12-year-old kid, it’s like, how do you reconcile that in your mind?
“There’s so much stigma about weight. There’s this idea that you can’t put the food down or you’re lazy,” the actress shared on The Jamie Kern Lima Show. But her weight and the trauma of her past never stopped Metz from developing a passion for acting. In 2010, on her 30th birthday, Metz had a breakdown watching a movie with friends and family. “I had a full-blown panic attack in the theater,” Metz admitted to Woman’s World. “That was a catalyst that changed my thinking. In hindsight, Metz says she’s grateful for the panic attack that landed her in the hospital because it led her to seek help. “I needed to understand why I’ve been hurting my body with food and all the things that come with that,” she told VeryWell Mind. Metz also vowed to pay less attention to other people’s opinions, which inspired her to take better care of herself…and the weight began melting off. “I was so gung ho, I lost 100 lbs. in less than five months,” she told People.
A Realistic Approach
While Metz’s transformation is inspiring, losing weight this rapidly is not typical. Losing 20 pounds a month, as Metz did, requires extreme focus. “Such rapid weight loss is not sustainable or safe for most people,” explains Michael Koehler, MD, Medical Director at Affinity Whole Health. “Rapid weight loss often results in muscle loss or other negative side effects, so I encourage my clients to focus on steady progress over speed,” adds Marlee Bruno, M.M.S., PA-C, Founder of Mind Body & Soul Medical.
Dr. Koehler emphasizes that “results can vary significantly from person to person. In general, consuming 2,000 calories a day is a realistic calorie target for many. It promotes fat loss while maintaining energy and satiety. But again, Dr. Koehler notes this depends on several factors, including activity level, muscle mass, hormonal changes and pre-existing health conditions.
The Power of Walking
Walking is an underrated yet powerful form of exercise. “It is actually incredibly effective for weight loss and overall health,” says Bruno. “It’s gentle on the joints, reduces stress and improves cardiovascular health. Another bonus? It’s free! “Walking is accessible as a low-impact exercise that requires no special equipment or gym membership,” says Dr.
Mental Health as a Cornerstone
For Metz, addressing her mental health was critical to her transformation. “I just have to be very clear,” she told TVLine. “Whether or not I lose weight or stay the same, it’s purely a choice of mine for health.
“[Mental health] is one of the most crucial aspects of any weight loss journey,” says Bruno. “Fixating on numbers or external pressures can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food and your body.” Instead, Metz shifted her focus towards being healthy over simply losing weight. Having this mindset, Dr. “For women struggling with chronic obesity or hormone-related weight issues, this approach can be particularly beneficial. It allows for celebrating non-scale victories, such as improved energy levels, better sleep and increased strength,” adds Dr. Koehler.