Shea McGee, celebrated interior designer and star of Netflix's "Dream Home Makeover," has recently captured attention for her remarkable weight loss journey and dedication to overall well-being. Known for her chic designs and engaging personality, Shea's transformation has sparked significant interest among her admirers.
The Wake-Up Call
In 2023, Shea McGee revealed that she had lost over 40 pounds, marking a profound shift towards prioritizing her health. Shea has been candid about the challenges of balancing her demanding career and family life. "I realized that my health had taken a backseat for too long," she shared in an interview. She experienced low energy levels, and simple tasks like climbing stairs became difficult.
Shea’s decision to embark on this journey was rooted in a desire to feel better both physically and mentally. In an emotional Instagram post, Shea shared her frustrations, admitting she was constantly tired. For Shea, it was about reclaiming her energy, confidence, and vitality. She openly discussed the emotional aspects of her weight loss journey, acknowledging, "It wasn’t easy. There were times when I felt like giving up."
Diet and Nutrition
Shea McGee’s weight loss was driven by a comprehensive change in her eating habits. She embraced a balanced diet that prioritized whole foods, lean proteins, and vegetables while minimizing processed foods and sugars. She credits her weight loss to portion control and mindful eating. “I don’t deprive myself, but I make conscious choices,” Shea shared. She also integrated protein shakes into her daily routine to support muscle repair and help curb cravings. Shea followed a balanced and practical diet to achieve her weight loss goals. Her meals focused on vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, while she avoided processed foods and excess sugar. An essential part of her daily routine was having a protein shake in the morning. Portion control recreated an important role in her success. By being mindful of serving sizes, Shea enjoyed her meals without derailing her goals. She also found a surprising ally in diet coke, which she included in her routine to curb cravings without adding many calories.
Exercise and Physical Activity
Exercise has played a vital role in Shea’s transformation. She has been vocal about her dislike for intense gym sessions, but that didn’t stop her from finding a routine that worked for her. “I try to get moving every day, even if it’s just for a walk,” Shea explained. Her goal wasn’t to push her body to extremes but to find ways to incorporate movement that felt natural and enjoyable. Exercise was an essential part of Shea’s weight loss plan. She kept active by including cardiovascular exercises and strength training in her routine. This combination helped her burn calories and build muscle. To keep her workouts engaging, Shea used fitness apps like Fit with Coco, which offered a mix of strength training and Pilates.
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Mental Health and Support System
What sets Shea’s weight loss journey apart is her focus on mental health. Throughout her transformation, Shea has made mental wellness a priority. She acknowledges that the emotional challenges were just as significant as the physical ones. In her social media posts, Shea frequently talks about the importance of mental health in her weight loss journey. She encouraged her followers to seek support when needed, whether that’s through therapy, self-care routines, or simply taking a break from the chaos of everyday life. Shea also shared that having a strong support system-her husband, Syd, and their two children-was key to her success. “They’ve been my biggest cheerleaders throughout this process,” she said.
Overcoming Challenges
Like anyone on a weight loss journey, Shea faced her fair share of struggles. There were days when she felt discouraged, and she wasn’t immune to the challenges of balancing work, family, and self-care. One of the biggest obstacles for Shea was dealing with the emotional toll of weight loss. She mentioned in several interviews that she had moments of self-doubt, questioning whether the effort was worth it.
The Results and Lasting Impact
As of 2023, Shea has lost over 40 pounds and has shared how her journey has made a lasting impact on her life. Not only does she feel better physically, but she has also gained more clarity and energy in her daily life. “I’ve gotten my groove back,” she says with a smile. Her transformation has inspired many of her fans and followers, many of whom have reached out to her for advice and encouragement.
Key Principles of Shea's Approach
Shea McGee’s weight loss transformation is about adopting a healthier lifestyle through balance and consistency.
- Start with small, manageable changes.
- Focus on balance, not restriction.
- Prioritize mental health. Weight loss is not just physical; it’s emotional, too.
- Find a support system.
Addressing the Ozempic Rumors
No, Shea McGee has openly confirmed that her weight loss is not due to medications like Ozempic.
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Shea's Daily Routine
Everyone has different things that work for them, but I always find it inspiring to read about how other creative professionals begin their days. Waking up hasn’t always come naturally for me (I am most creative at night and for years I did not exercise healthy sleep patterns), but Syd is an avid Huberman follower, and he has helped me change my routine. Being a regular sleeper has truly transformed my energy and overall health. We use a mattress cover called Sleep 8 and it cools while you sleep and adjusts through the night. I wake up at 5:30 am most mornings, and I am always moving so slow so I like to set out my workout clothes the night before. I throw on my workout clothes, fill up my water (I add colostrum, creatine, and a bit of a water flavor packet), and head downstairs to our basement to work out or go play tennis. When working out at home I use the Fit with Coco app and follow Courteney Fisher’s workouts which are a mix of strength training and Pilates. As the kids start to wake up for the day, I help them pick out their outfits and do hair while Syd prepares breakfast. For myself I try to get 30 grams of protein in the morning, I make the same thing almost every morning which is lots of greek yogurt, Purely Elizabeth granola, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries. My workday officially begins around 9 AM. When I’m not filming, onsite at a design project, or at the McGee & Co. warehouse, you’ll find me in my home office. I truly thrive in the quiet of my home workspace, free from distractions, where I can fully focus on what needs to get done.
The Broader Context of Weight-Loss Medications
As weight-loss drugs have exploded in popularity this past year, part of the craze has been members of the public wondering which celebrities are on Ozempic.
The drug is approved to treat Type 2 diabetes and has weight loss as a prominent side effect, so it's often prescribed off-label for this reason. The active ingredient in Ozempic, semaglutide, is also approved to treat obesity under the name Wegovy. (Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, previously told TODAY.com in a statement that it does not support off-label use of its medications.) Examples of other similar drugs include Mounjaro, approved for diabetes, and Zepbound, approved for obesity, both made by Eli Lilly.
It’s hard to escape the numerous Ozempic before-and-after photos on social media of people who have seen drastic results while using the medication. And whenever a celebrity has appeared looking slimmer as of late, the Ozempic accusations always follow. There are a few celebrities who've spoken openly about taking weight-loss medications. Here's what they've said. (If you are interested in trying a weight-loss medication, talk to your doctor first.)
Celebrities' Experiences with Weight-Loss Medications
Chrissy Teigen: In Sept. 2025, Christy Teigen revealed she turned to Ozempic following her 2020 miscarriage, during an episode of her podcast Self-Conscious. She said that, at the time, it was her response to her “deep depression of seeing this pregnant belly with no baby in it.”“My body was completely stuck,” she said. “I really let myself indulge when I was pregnant. So, when I had lost that baby at 20 weeks, I had probably gained an extra 40 pounds that I wasn’t comfortable with.”Teigen said she also struggled with the reduction in hunger cues often associated with medications used for weight loss. “It was frustrating for me because I know that logically you need food to have energy,” she added.
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Serena Williams: After the birth of her second child, Serena Williams turned to a GLP-1 medication to help with weight loss, she revealed exclusively to TODAY. The tennis star said she's proof that you can do everything right and still struggle to lose weight. Combined with her professional training, Williams would "walk for hours," she switched to a vegetarian diet, then a vegan one and, still, she struggled to shed the pounds. “A misconception is that (a GLP-1 is) a shortcut,” she told TODAY.com. “As an athlete and as someone that has done everything, I just couldn’t get my weight to where I needed to be at a healthy place - and believe me, I don’t take shortcuts.” Since using a GLP-1, Williams says her blood sugar levels have improved and her joints feel lighter.
Meghan Trainor: Meghan Trainor noticed most of the comments were about her body rather than her accomplishment. She pointed out that she's worked with a dietitian and a trainer to be the best version of herself for her children and that process also included turning to the weight loss drug Mounjaro. "I’ve worked with a dietician, made huge lifestyle changes, started exercising with a trainer, and yes, I used science and support (shoutout to Mounjaro!) to help me after my 2nd pregnancy. And I’m so glad I did because I feel great," she said.
Oprah Winfrey: During an interview with People in December 2023, Winfrey revealed that she takes a weight-loss drug, but didn't specify which one.“I now use it as I feel I need it, as a tool to manage not yo-yoing,” she said. The TV personality, who has spoken at length about her weight struggles throughout her career, told People the drug helps her maintain a healthy weight. “The fact that there’s a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier, in my lifetime, feels like relief, like redemption, like a gift, and not something to hide behind and once again be ridiculed for. I’m absolutely done with the shaming from other people and particularly myself,” she said. Once upon a time, Winfrey considered weight-loss drugs an "easy way out," but she's changed her tune since then. “I realized I’d been blaming myself all these years for being overweight, and I have a predisposition that no amount of willpower is going to control,” she said.
Kelly Clarkson: Kelly Clarkson revealed during an episode of her talk show when speaking with Whoopi Goldberg that she is taking a drug to help her lose weight, though she didn't specify which one. “Everyone thinks it’s Ozempic - it’s not. It’s something else,” Clarkson said. “But it’s something that aids in helping break down the sugar. Obviously my body doesn’t do it right.” Clarkson added that taking a weight-loss medication has been "really good" for her, even though she was hesitant to try it at first due to past health issues. “My doctor chased me for like two years, and I was like, ‘No I’m afraid of it, I already have thyroid problems,’” she said. She ultimately decided to try it “because my blood work got so bad,” she said. “My heaviest, I was like 203, and I’m 5 foot 3 and a half,” Clarkson continued. “It’s funny because people assume, ‘Oh she must’ve been miserable, depressed, whatever,’ and I was like, ‘No I was not.’”
Kathy Bates: Kathy Bates recently shared that she lost 100 pounds over the past seven years thanks to lifestyle changes as well as Ozempic.“There’s been a lot of talk that I just was able to do this because of Ozempic,” Bates told People. “But I have to impress upon people out there that this was hard work for me, especially during the pandemic. It’s very hard to say you’ve had enough.” She also opened up about her weight loss journey on during an October 2024 appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show."“I’ve recently gone on Ozempic and everybody said, ‘Oh, she did it with Ozempic’ but that’s not true. I started doing that about a year ago for my diabetes and that’s helped me lose the last 15 pounds or so,” she told Barrymore. “But even with the Ozempic, I still have to pay attention (to my eating.”
Harvey Fierstein: The Broadway legend shared that he lost 120 pounds using Zepbound. He tried it after reaching 310 pounds during the COVID-19 pandemic."What’s different is what the drug actually does for you, which is: I don’t feel like I’m dieting,” Fierstein told Page Six. “I feel like a normal person. I can go and have dinner with friends and not have to eat every piece of bread on the table, and then not go have ice cream when I’ve done with dinner.”“People don’t understand that being fat is not a choice,” he added. “It’s something that your body is out of whack and this puts your body in whack.” Fierstein shared that after going off the medication, he regained about 15 pounds but has stayed at around 200 pounds.
Jim Gaffigan: Comedian Jim Gaffigan told People in November 2024 that he lost 50 pounds using Mounjaro. He made the decision to try the medication after reaching 270 pounds.“I had very low expectations because I did know someone that had tried it, and they were like, ‘Oh no, I was just nauseous for a week,’” he said. “And then I thought my true joy of eating would overpower anything.” But it turned out to be an effective approach for him. "I feel good,” he told People. “I’m just grateful because it’s such a better life.” He added that he's sharing his experience to destigmatize weight-loss drugs.“I almost thought it was kind of odd that people were resistant to talking about it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. There’s people walking around that obviously do not have blonde hair - yet they do. I don’t think that’s weird, either. It’s just whatever gets you through," Gaffigan said.
James Corden: James Corden said he tried Ozempic but it was not that effective for him in September on his podcast."I tried Ozempic, and it won’t be surprising to you when you look at me now, that it didn’t really work,” Corden said. “I tried it for a bit and then what I realized was I was like, ‘Oh no, nothing about my eating has anything to do with being hungry.’ All this does is make you feel not hungry."
Kandi Burruss: The former Xscape member revealed that she tried a weight-loss drug on the Virtual Reali-Tea podcast in June.“Last year, I tried it. I saw so many people who were trying it and losing weight. So I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to try this.’ And I didn’t lose any weight," she said."My doctor was like, ‘I don’t know what the problem is, I’m not seeing this in other people.’ … It didn’t curb my appetite. I know some people are like, ‘Oh, I can’t eat.’ Not me. I was eating appetizers, a regular meal and dessert. It didn’t stop anything for me." She had mental health struggles when the drug didn't work for her, she said: "It makes you depressed. Realistically, it makes you feel like, ‘What is wrong with me? Why is it not working for me?'"
Amy Schumer: While chatting with Andy Cohen in June 2023, Schumer confirmed that she did try Ozempic "like a year ago" but quickly stopped due to the side effects. “I was one of the people that felt like sick, I couldn’t like play with my son,” she said during an episode of “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.” Despite the results she began to see, Schumer said it wasn't worth it to continue taking the drug. “You’re like, ‘OK, this isn’t livable for me,’ but I immediately invested because I’m like, ‘Everyone and their mom is going to try it,’” she said. The comedian also encouraged other celebrities to be more honest if they are using Ozempic or similar medications.“Everybody (is) lying, everyone’s like, ‘Oh, smaller portions,’ like shut the f--- up, you’re on Ozempic or one of those things,” she said. “Just be real with the people.” In order to "keep it 100" with her fans and social media followers, Schumer revealed she was taking Mounjaro, a prescription drug that’s approved to treat Type 2 diabetes and also commonly prescribed for weight loss. In the video, posted on Instagram March 2025, she revealed that she'd had a “really good experience” on Mounjaro. Before that, she'd also tried Wegovy which she said she couldn't "handle."
Whoopi Goldberg: Whoopi Goldberg told Kelly Clarkson that she had lost the weight of "almost two people" since starting Mounjaro, a medication approved to treat Type 2 diabetes.“I’m doing that wonderful shot that works for folks who need some help and it’s been really good for me,” Goldberg told Clarkson after she commented on how youthful Goldberg looks. “It’s all the weight I’ve lost.” The EGOT winner previously revealed she was taking Mounjaro on "The View" in March. “My weight has come and gone, and up and down, but it’s never been an issue for me because I don’t listen to what other people say about me so it has never been a problem,” she said. “But I think it’s very hard for people to just know what a normal weight would be. … Everyone has something to say but no one said, ‘How you doing?’ Because it involves so many other things.”
Tracy Morgan: While appearing on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna in August 2023, Morgan approached the topic of his Ozempic use in a comedic way. Morga cheekily replied: "No, that's Ozempic. That’s how this weight got lost." It initially seemed like a joke, but he later confirmed it was true. “I went and got a prescription and I got Ozempic,” he said. “And I ain’t letting it go!” In a March 2024 appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," Morgan said he's gained weight on Ozempic. “I’ve learned to out-eat Ozempic. I out-ate Ozempic. I’ve gained 40 pounds,” Morgan quipped with a joking tone. It's not clear if Morgan is still taking the medication, but gaining weight after stopping a weight-loss drug is common, research shows.
Sharon Osbourne: Osbourne has been open about her weight struggles over the years and recently revealed that she had taken Ozempic to help manage her weight. However, she felt she lost too much weight and didn't want to continue the medication.“I lost 42 pounds now and it’s just enough,” she said during an episode of Piers Morgan’s podcast, per E! news. “I didn’t actually want to go this thin, but it just happened and I’ll probably put it all on again soon.” She added that she experienced nausea as a side effect “You don’t throw up physically but you’ve got that feeling," she said. "I was about two, three weeks where I felt nauseous the whole time. You get very thirsty and you don’t want to eat. That’s it.”
Heather Gay: In November 2023, the "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star told People that she was "on the Ozempic train" and had been taking it "for a long time.""I haven’t had massive results, but enough for people to notice, which is great," she added.
Chelsea Handler: During a January 2023 appearance on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, Chelsea Handler said that her anti-aging doctor "just hands (Ozempic) out to anybody.""I didn’t even know I was on it. She said, ‘If you ever want to drop 5 pounds, this is good,’” Handler recalled. When the comedian returned from a vacation, she said decided to take an injection of the drug, not fully understanding what it was."I went to lunch with a girlfriend a few days later, and she was like, ‘I’m not really eating anything. I’m so nauseous, I’m on Ozempic,’” she said. “And I was like, ‘I’m kind of nauseous too.’ But I had just come back from Spain and was jet-lagged.” At that point, Handler stopped using the medication.“I’m an irresponsible drug user, but I’m not gonna take a diabetic drug," she said. "I tried it, and I’m not going to do that. That’s not for me. That’s not right for me.”
Remi Bader: When she was pre-diabetic and gaining weight in 2020, Bader's doctor recommended that she try Ozempic.“They said I need this. And I had a lot of mixed feelings,” she told People in January 2023. “A few months later, I went off it and got into the bad binging.”“It was making me thin…
Semaglutide and Weight Regain: A Balanced View
For Meredith Schorr, a registered nurse, working in the medical field during the coronavirus pandemic, took both a mental and physical toll. After gaining around 50 pounds, Schorr said she tried making changes to her diet and her exercise routine to lose weight. When that didn't work, Schorr said she reached out for professional help and saw a nurse practitioner who helps patients with weight loss. Schorr said the nurse practitioner recommended she try semaglutide -- the active ingredient in medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy. Semaglutide is a medication that was initially approved for Type 2 diabetes, but is now allowed to be prescribed for weight loss too.
"My nurse practitioner made it clear to me that this drug shouldn't just be a crutch that you rely on to lose weight," Schorr said. "You should still improve your health and lifestyle habits, such as improving exercise and your nutrition at the same time as using this drug." Mounjaro and Ozempic are approved to treat Type 2 diabetes, but some doctors prescribe them "off-label" for weight loss. Wegovy is specifically approved for weight loss for people with obesity or who are overweight. The drugs help people produce insulin and lower the amount of sugar in the blood, which is why they help manage Type 2 diabetes. They also work by slowing down movement of food through the stomach and curbing appetite, thereby causing weight loss. Schorr said she started taking a once-weekly injection of semaglutide in February 2022. While people can take semaglutide under the brand name Ozempic or Wegovy, some people have also accessed the drug through pharmacies that create their own version using the raw ingredients. That's how Schorr says she got it. There are risks associated with getting semaglutide through that route, because it can be altered and it’s not clear in many cases where the drugs are sourced from.
Soon after starting semaglutide, Schorr said she experienced side effects such as intense nausea, a common side effect of the drug, along with constipation. But she learned to manage the side effects and, soon after starting the medication, began to lose weight. "Within about two weeks, I had already lost a few pounds," Schorr said. "Everyone was like, 'Oh, you already are looking like you're losing weight in just the first few days.'" Schorr said she lost 50 pounds over the course of 11 months. However, she decided to stop taking the medication in January in preparation of trying to become pregnant. The class of medications that include semaglutide are not recommended for women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. The Food and Drug Administration says in its safety profiles of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy that they should not be taken during pregnancy, noting there is "insufficient data" available.
When Schorr stopped taking semaglutide, she said she started to notice she was regaining weight, but called the weight gain a "wake-up call." "I didn't realize how hungry I would get after like five to six weeks of being off of it," Schorr said. "I did initially gain about 10 pounds, but it kind of gave me that wake-up call of like, oh yeah, I need to be doing my healthy lifestyle habits and all those changes.""I just kind of refocused and made sure that I was making healthy choices," she said, describing how she has maintained her health post-semaglutide. Schorr said that even with the weight gain she experienced, semaglutide was life-changing for her and that she is sharing her story to help remove some of the stigma of the medication. In recent months, semaglutide-containing medications have grown in popularity, in part due to reported use by celebrities. "I definitely view semaglutide as the way that I kick-started my life back into healthy living," said Schorr. "I'm in a completely different place."
Medical experts say it's important to remember that semaglutide is intended to be one part of a comprehensive approach to wellness that also includes a healthy diet and exercise. Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine, told "GMA" that rebound weight gain can be common after stopping semaglutide because the drug is no longer working in the body. "Obesity is a chronic disease, just like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol," Aronne said. "If you don't take the medicine regularly, then the effect wears off." Dr. Darien Sutton, an ABC News medical contributor and board-certified emergency medicine physician, said providers may look at different options when prescribing semaglutide to help prevent the weight gain some patients see. "This medication has led to significant amounts of weight loss, but when it stops, patients have reported gaining up to two-thirds of that weight back," Sutton said, citing published research. "We ask the question, do we need to change the dose? Does it need to be tapered, or do people need to stay on it indefinitely to get that benefit?" In addition, Sutton said people both on and off semaglutide need to maintain a healthy wellness routine, including diet, exercise, daily movement and quality sleep.
Sutton said the success many people have seen using semaglutide is also a important reminder that obesity is a chronic medical condition. In the United States, obesity is a condition that affects as much as nearly 42% of the population and is associated with over $170 billion in medical costs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Around 90% of the over 37 million Americans with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes, a condition associated with obesity, according to the CDC."It brings up a bigger understanding of obesity as a condition rather than an individual or moral failure," he said.