Health and fitness can be a challenging journey, even for celebrities with access to ample resources. However, as demonstrated by numerous stars, small changes and consistent effort can lead to significant transformations. This article explores the weight loss journeys of several celebrities, highlighting their strategies, struggles, and the healthy habits they've adopted.
Alyson Hannigan: Dancing Her Way to Weight Loss
Actress Alyson Hannigan shared her weight loss journey on Instagram, showcasing before-and-after photos after her time on "Dancing with the Stars." She celebrated her 20-pound weight loss. Hannigan emphasized the importance of a positive attitude and hard work, stating that performing in the finale was a win for her. She expressed gratitude for the support she received during the experience.
Elle King: A Postpartum Transformation
Singer Elle King opened up about her weight loss in an Instagram post, discussing her two-year postpartum journey. She emphasized that "it doesn't happen overnight" and that for her, "it didn't even happen in a year." King revealed she experienced deep depression during her pregnancy and postpartum period, feeling trapped in her body and unable to sing. She started slowly with metabolic workouts and light cardio to warm up her body, lungs, voice, and spirit.
King, who started at 284 pounds, changed her habits and found strength in consistency. She acknowledged the help of her trainer, Paul Dominic, but encouraged followers to be their own champions by finding enjoyable activities like music, biking, or swimming. King stressed that her journey was about more than just weight loss, stating, "MY BRAIN functions better on the days I move my body." She also made it clear that she is not using any weight-loss medication.
King, who has PCOS and is pre-diabetic, hopes to live a long, wonderful, healthy life. She wrote, "Some days I count stretch marks. Some days I hug myself and say thank you to my body. Today is a kind day. I’ve been tiny, I’ve been huge, BUT RIGHT NOW IM HEALTHY."
Read also: Stephanie Cmar's weight loss story: A remarkable journey.
John Goodman: A Lifestyle Change for Lasting Results
Actor John Goodman has been open about his weight struggles since his time on "Roseanne." He shared that he would lose significant weight between seasons, only to regain it when the season resumed. At one point in the '90s, he was close to 400 pounds.
Goodman decided to make a lifestyle change in 2007, cutting alcohol out of his life and working out six days a week. He hired trainer Mackie Shilstone, who introduced him to the Mediterranean Diet. This diet focuses on consuming vegetables, legumes, seafood, and olive oil while eliminating fried foods, saturated fats, red meat, and refined sugar.
He told ABC News in 2016, "I was just eating all the time. I was just eating alcoholically. In the old days, I would take three months out, lose 60 or 70 pounds, and then reward myself with a six-pack of Bud or whatever and just go back to my old habits." By 2023, Goodman revealed he had lost 200 pounds since starting his journey. He enjoys walking his dogs and taking boxing classes as ways to stay active.
Post Malone: Cutting Out Soda for a Slimmer Figure
Rapper Post Malone revealed he lost 55 pounds by cutting soda from his diet. On the "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, he noted, "Soda is so bad. It’s so good but so bad." Malone, who used to weigh 240 pounds, saw his weight drop to 185 after eliminating the sugary drink.
He admitted to reserving soda as a reward for a good show, saying, "[If] I had a great show, and you know what, I’m feeling a little bit naughty, I’m going to have myself a Coke on ice." After fans speculated about potential drug use, Malone clarified in a social media post that he wasn’t doing drugs, but had cut soda out of his diet and started eating better. He welcomed a daughter in June 2022 with his fiancée.
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Valerie Bertinelli: Saying Goodbye to Alcohol
Valerie Bertinelli credits cutting out alcohol with dropping a pant size. She said, "These jeans that I'm wearing were so tight a few months ago that I couldn't comfortably button them. Now, they're so loose it's time for me to go down a size. Yeah, I like that side effect."
Bertinelli wanted to cut alcohol for two reasons: to curb sugar cravings and help lower her stress. She shared, "I want to calm down the cortisol in my body that has been raging for the last five, six years. I've been in fight, flight, freeze, fawn mode. And I want to go into rest and digest. I think cutting alcohol will help me do that." She noted that cutting back on alcohol helped with releasing the weight she was carrying for protection.
Jessica Simpson: Ditching the Scale and Embracing Body Positivity
Jessica Simpson has been open about her struggles with body image issues over the years. In 2021, she told Hoda Kotb on "Today" that she had thrown away her scale. "It was like a Ouija board," Simpson explained. "I have no idea how much I weigh. Like, I just want to feel good and be able to zip my pants up. If I don't, I have another size. I have every size. I've really tried my hardest to not let that define me."
The fashion designer dropped 100 pounds after giving birth to her third child in 2019. When asked about Ozempic, Simpson shot down the rumors, saying, "Oh Lord. I mean, it is not - it’s willpower. I’m like, ‘Do people want me to be drinking again?’ Because that’s when I was heavier. Or they want me to be having another baby? My body can’t do it."
Ed Sheeran: Quitting Smoking and Embracing Exercise
Ed Sheeran made a major lifestyle change in 2019 when he dropped 50 pounds. He quit smoking and incorporated exercise into his routine. Sheeran also says he cut "American" food from his diet while working on losing weight.
Read also: A Guide to the Stephanie McCulloch Diet
Chris Pratt: Intermittent Fasting and Mindful Eating
Chris Pratt launched a major weight loss and fitness regimen for his role in the first "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie in 2014. He has since incorporated other methods to maintain his physique, including intermittent fasting.
Pratt shared, "So I’m doing this intermittent fasting thing; don’t eat till noon, try to get my cardio in in the morning. It’s super exciting actor stuff. Look it up! Check it out! It’s actually kinda cool. Works pretty good and I’ve lost a little weight so far." He also reflected on his past diet habits during his time on "Parks and Recreation," saying, "I can’t believe I would eat five cheeseburgers for lunch. I lived in a constant state of ‘Oh, god. I’m freaking sick. I’ve eaten so much.’ And that was happiness at that time. Now, it’s the exact opposite. Now, eating is boring. But the times between eating I feel great. Before, eating was fun, but in the times in between, I felt like crap." Pratt focuses on lean proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats in the six-hour window he gives himself to eat.
Denise Austin: Consistent 30-Minute Workouts
Denise Austin has been a longtime fitness guru and points to short but consistent workouts to help maintain her physique. She told Fox News Digital the key to her toned body has been "30-minute workouts" for the last four decades. Austin explained that she does 30 minutes of cardio on some days to burn fat and work on her heart, and 30 minutes of toning and stretching on other days to keep her abs and body strong and toned.
Austin also highlighted an even shorter workout of just under 10 minutes to help get in bikini shape, concentrating on the core and the lower body and low-impact cardio. She explained that the more muscles you're using, the more calories you're burning, which is why she works the arms and legs all at the same time.
Shay Mooney: Consistency and a Clean Lifestyle
Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay shared his weight loss on social media at the beginning of the year, noting that "consistency" was the secret to achieving his goal. He wrote, "Consistency. I changed my entire world in 6 months. No gimmicks or fads. Just consistency. If that tired guy on the left can do it so can you." In October 2022, Mooney shared that he had already lost 50 pounds and was following a simple routine: eating clean, not drinking alcohol, walking 7 miles a day, and doing some weight training.
Gracie Abrams: Toned Abs and a Balanced Lifestyle
Gracie Abrams' stunning vocals have been on full display during her hit tour, and so have her killer abs. While performing for audiences all around the world in recent months, Abrams has shown off her toned midsection while rocking cropped tops, and her fans have taken to social media to share photos of the 25-year-old's strong core. Although Abrams hasn't shared her workout secrets, the star coyly addressed her viral abs in a recent video for Vogue when asked about her gym routine. "Oh God, I have nothing to offer on that front guys," she teased.
She admitted that she's been racking up plenty of hours working out. "Honestly, on this tour we have been in the gym more than any other tour. I think it keeps your brain clear of the spiders. You know? It just makes me feel less crazy," she said.
Workouts to Replicate Gracie's Ab-tastic Look
If a six-pack tops your list of fitness goals, you'll want to start by setting achievable targets for yourself. "Realistically, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to over a year to see abdominal muscles, depending on your starting point, consistency, diet and workout intensity. Everyone’s different, so just keep at it and stay patient," Start TODAY trainer Stephanie Mansour tells TODAY.com.
The first step to a six-pack, per Mansour, is strengthening your core muscles. “The abdominal muscles are made up of three different sections: the upper and lower abs and obliques. Abdominal exercises should be performed three to four times a week, making sure to change up your exercises to target all three muscle groups,” she noted.
Exercises that target the obliques (side abs)
- Russian Twist: Sit on the floor with your knees bent in front of you and your feet resting on the floor. As you keep your torso and lower body still, begin slowly rotating side to side. Reach your hands toward the floor on the right then move to the center and reach your hands toward the floor on the left. Repeat 10 times on each side.
- Wood Chop: Stand up tall and reach both arms straight up toward the sky. Lean your torso slightly to the left and step your right foot out a bit so that it is not directly under your hip. Pull both arms down and across your body from left to right as you bend and lift your right knee into the air. Bring your hands down to the side of your right hip before putting your foot down and lifting your arms back up in the air. Repeat 10 times then repeat on the opposite side.
Exercises that target the upper abs
- Crunches: Lie down on your back with your knees bent, feet as wide as your hips and feet flat on the floor. Tighten your abs, pulling your belly button in toward your spine and engaging your core throughout the exercise. With your hands placed gently behind your head and elbows wide, use your abs to bring your shoulder blades off the floor. Exhale as you lift your body. Slowly release the position, inhaling as you lower your head to the mat with control. Return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
Exercises that target the lower abs
- Reverse Crunch: Lie on your back with your arms at your sides. With your knees bent, squeeze your abs and raise your legs so that your knees are hovering over your hips at a 90-degree angle. Keep your calves parallel to the mat so that your legs are in a tabletop position. Engage your core as you lift your hips and knees toward your chest (ie. tilting your pelvis forward). Keep your entire upper body on the ground. Make sure that only the lowest part of your back comes off the ground - nothing more. Keep the legs at a 90-degree angle throughout the entire movement as you come back down, through tabletop and tap your feet on the ground. Repeat the steps 10 times, remembering to breathe slowly while squeezing your abdominals.
Nutritional tips for six-pack abs
You don't earn a six-pack without putting in the time in the gym. But nutrition can be equally important when you're craving a toned core. "Maintaining a healthy eating routine will help reduce the overall amount of body fat, including the midsection, enabling the abdominal muscles to show," Mansour said.
Abrams hasn't shared her exact diet, but TODAY Nutrition Editor Natalie Rizzo said we can surmise a few things based on the way her abs look. "In general, people that are very fit and have chiseled muscles usually eat a high protein diet, with plenty of lean protein sources, like poultry, eggs, fish, soy, beans and legumes. That means they probably eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight," she said. "Since Abrams is dancing and singing, she may also need more calories and carbs to give her energy for performances." Rizzo also noted that Abrams likely eats a mix of healthy foods including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and proteins to maintain her physique.