Shonda Rhimes, the creative force behind hit shows like Grey's Anatomy and Scandal, embarked on a transformative journey to improve her health and well-being. Her experience highlights not only the physical changes but also the emotional and social aspects of weight loss. This journey, undertaken a decade ago, has been marked by lifestyle changes, introspection, and a candid perspective on how society perceives individuals differently based on their size.
The Initial Motivation: Health Concerns
Around a decade ago, Shonda Rhimes, then in her mid-40s, faced a stark realization about her health. She felt her lifestyle was unsustainable and feared for her long-term survival. "I really thought like I might be dead in 10 years," the now 55-year-old Rhimes stated at a 92NY event. She began to feel terrible and developed sleep apnea, waking up choking during the night. These health issues served as a wake-up call, prompting her to take action.
The Turning Point: A Moment of Revelation
In 2015, Shonda Rhimes revealed that she had lost 117 pounds. She described the moment she realized she could make significant changes as a moment of "relief and revelation," a memory she would cherish forever. This turning point motivated her to continue her journey toward a healthier lifestyle.
Lifestyle Changes: Diet and Exercise
Rhimes attributed her weight loss to significant changes in her diet and the incorporation of exercise into her routine. "I just changed everything I ate," she explained. While she admitted to disliking both dieting and exercising, she recognized their necessity. "I hate exercising and I did that too, and I hated that the whole time. I still hate it."
Her approach to food involved moderation and smaller portions. "I actually eat everything I want to eat. but I try to make it like, much less, and little, smaller portions." Over time, her palate changed, and she began craving healthier options like fish and salad.
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Consulting with Medical Professionals
Rhimes emphasized the importance of consulting with doctors throughout her weight loss journey. She started with a visit to her physician, expressing her desire to improve her health. "I went to my doctor and I said, 'I don’t wanna be fat anymore. Help. Me.’ My doctor literally applauded me." This consultation led to a complete physical examination to assess her starting point and track her progress. She also followed her doctor's recommendations.
Addressing Emotional Eating
Rhimes delved into the emotional aspects of her eating habits, realizing that she often used food to cope with difficult feelings. "The food created a nice topcoat. It helped to smooth down the ragged bits. Sealed off the parts of me that were broken. It filled in all the holes. Covered up the cracks," she wrote in her memoir. Acknowledging this pattern was a crucial step in changing her relationship with food. "Yep, I just put some food on top of any and everything that bothered me. The food just spackled right on in there," she continued. "And presto! Underneath the food, everything inside me was smooth and cold and numb. I was dead inside and that was good."
No Food Restrictions: A Balanced Approach
A key element of Rhimes' approach was avoiding strict food restrictions. "I could eat anything I wanted. As long as I ate a reasonable portion," she explained. She also focused on listening to her body's cravings and hunger cues, rather than adhering to rigid meal schedules. "I’d been so used to eating simply because it was breakfast time or lunchtime or dinnertime - I’d never stopped to think about whether or not I was hungry, let alone craving anything," she wrote.
Rhimes has shared examples of her diverse food choices on social media, including oats with berries, home-cooked meals with fried chicken and vegetables, and even homemade pizza. "You guys have asked me how I stay disciplined. I don’t. I make pizza! 😂 J/k,” she wrote in an Instagram post. This flexible approach highlights her focus on balance and enjoyment.
Incorporating Exercise with Jeanette Jenkins
When Rhimes was ready to exercise she enlisted the help of trainer Jeanette Jenkins. "When I was ready, I called a trainer. I’d worked with Jeanette Jenkins before. Well, mostly I’d complained and wheezed while she tried to get me to move my body," she wrote. Jeanette got me doing Pilates and I loved it. I mean, who wouldn’t? It’s exercise you do lying down. For real. It’s like the universe finally decided to cut me some slack." Jenkins incorporated Pilates into her routine.
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Valuing Sleep and Hydration
In addition to diet and exercise, Rhimes emphasized the importance of sleep and hydration. She aims for a minimum of eight hours of sleep per night and strives to drink 64 ounces of water daily. These habits contribute to her overall well-being and support her healthy lifestyle.
Shonda Rhimes' Perspective
For Shonda Rhimes, weight loss is about feeling good and healthy, not about a number on a scale. “For me, it’s never truly been about a number,” the "Bridgerton" creator told People in 2015. “It’s just about feeling good. I feel good and really healthy.”
Motivation for Change
In 2014, She decided to make a change when she wasn't able to buckle her seatbelt on an airplane, she shared in her 2015 memoir, "Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person." The "Grey's Anatomy" showrunner has also said she was motivated to lose weight for her three daughters, Harper, 22, Becket, 11, and Emerson, whom she welcomed via adoption in 2012.
The Social Impact: Changed Perceptions
Rhimes openly discussed the varying reactions she received after her weight loss, expressing dismay at how people's perceptions of her changed. "After I lost weight, I discovered that people found me valuable," she wrote in a 2017 Shondaland newsletter. "Worthy of conversation. A person one could look at. A person one could compliment. A person one could admire."
She questioned how people had viewed her before, feeling as though she had been "an Invisible Woman" until she became thinner. This experience highlighted the societal bias and superficiality that can come with weight loss. "When I was fat, I wasn’t a PERSON to these people," she wrote. "Like I had been an Invisible Woman who suddenly materialized in front of them. Poof! There I am. Thin and ready for a chat."
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Rhimes also noted that some people felt comfortable making fat jokes in her presence after she lost weight, seemingly forgetting that she had once been the target of such jokes. "These days, I feel like a chunky spy in a thinner world. Strangers tell fat jokes in front of me. Jokes not meant for me. But … completely for the woman I used to be 150 pounds ago. The woman I could be again one day. The woman I will always be inside," Rhimes wrote.
The Core Message: Weight Loss Doesn't Change Who You Are
Rhimes emphasized that losing weight does not fundamentally change a person's character or worth. "Because being thinner doesn’t make you a different person. It just makes you thinner," she stated. Her experience serves as a reminder that true value lies within, regardless of physical appearance.
Other Celebrities and Weight Loss Journeys
Shonda Rhimes is not alone in her weight loss journey. Many other celebrities have also shared their experiences, offering diverse perspectives on the motivations, methods, and challenges involved.
Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll, for instance, revealed that he used a GLP-1 medication to lose weight, driven by unhappiness with his size and concerns about his health. "I did, this summer, lose a good chunk of weight by micro-dosing a GLP-1," the 57-year-old revealed in September 2025 during an episode of his SiriusXM Andy Cohen Live radio show. He emphasized that his success was not dependent on his weight, stating, "I didn't become successful because of my weight, I became successful in spite of it."
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson, informed by doctors that she was pre-diabetic, focused on listening to her doctor's advice and taking medication to help break down sugar. Informed by doctors she was pre-diabetic, "I dropped weight because I've been listening to my doctor-a couple years I didn't," the singer explained to People. She also incorporated walking into her routine and enjoys infrared saunas.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey has also used medication to manage her weight and improve her health. While she hasn't named the specific medication, she expressed relief and gratitude for having access to medically approved treatments. "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," she explained.
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry worked with a nutritionist and incorporated hot yoga into his routine to improve his mental and physical well-being. Now, "I’m eating the right food & Hot yoga 1-2 times a week which is so good for my mental & physical state," the dad of three explained.
Danielle Brooks
Danielle Brooks used Mounjaro, along with diet and exercise, to help her lose weight after her second pregnancy. “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,” she wrote on Instagram in March 2025.
Post Malone
Post Malone attributed his weight loss to "dad life," which motivated him to cut out soda and eat healthier. "I've had a lot of people ask me about my weight loss and i'd suppose, performance on stage," he acknowledged in an April 2023 Instagram post. His inspiration, he continued, was the daughter he welcomed in 2022: "i guess dad life kicked in and i decided to kick soda, and start eating better so i can be around for a long time for this little angel. next up is smokes and brews, but i like to consider myself a patient man."
John Goodman
John Goodman adopted a slow and steady approach to weight loss, incorporating exercise and a Mediterranean diet into his lifestyle. His sensible approach-lots of walking and a Mediterranean diet heavy on fish, vegetables and nuts-has helped him maintain a 200-pound weight loss.
Tammy Slaton
Tammy Slaton celebrated her weight loss as a significant achievement, allowing her to experience everyday activities like buckling a seatbelt without an extender. "Like being able to buckle a seatbelt and not have to use an extender. It's big for me. Now, continued the reality star, "I'm more or less like giving myself a pat on the back for achieving something and doing it. Getting the weight off and living. That's what I'm doing. I can finally say I'm living life."
Shay Mitchell
Shay Mitchell combined lemon-infused water, regular workouts, and healthy meal choices to achieve her fitness goals after giving birth. After four straight weeks kicking off her mornings with lemon-infused warm water and a 30-minute sweat session ("It included HIIT, it included cardio, it included strength training," she said of the varied full-body routines) and recommitting to healthy meal choices ("If I want pizza, I'll have pizza and dump some spinach on it") she was a convert.
Rebel Wilson
Rebel Wilson acknowledged the challenges of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, admitting that stress can lead to weight gain and negative feelings about herself. The extra stress leading to extra pounds, "It makes me feel bad about myself," Wilson admitted, "it shouldn’t…but it does."
Chris Pratt
Chris Pratt committed to intense workouts and a strict diet to prepare for action movie roles. Committing to “three to four hours a day of just consistent, ass-kicking hard work," as he described his P90X, kickboxing and running sessions to Men's Journal?
Paul Rudd
Paul Rudd "took the Chris Pratt approach" to training for a superhero movie, eliminating anything fun for a year to achieve his desired physique. The ageless star "took the Chris Pratt approach to training for an action movie," he shared. "Eliminate anything fun for a year and then you can play a hero.”