Whitney Thore, known to fans from the TLC show "My Big Fat Fabulous Life," has been in the public eye for a decade. The show has followed Thore’s life, as well as her ups and downs with weight loss, for 13 seasons. Her journey has been marked by both challenges and triumphs, including a reported 100-pound weight loss. Thore has become an inspiration to many, not only for her weight loss but also for her body positivity advocacy and her candid portrayal of life as a reality TV star.
Celebrating Life's Moments
Recently, Thore shared a personal milestone with her followers: attending a System of a Down concert in Chicago. “Waited 23 years for the best night of my life,” she wrote in the caption. Her photos include images of the crowd at the concert, a picture of herself sleeping afterward, and a closer look at the outfit she wore during the event. She posted several pictures of her outfit, and she looked great, and the smile on her face suggests she felt great, too! Thore opted for a black top with sheer details, black leather shorts, and sheer black stockings. This event was clearly a significant moment for her, a culmination of a long-held dream.
Fan Reactions and Support
Fans have reacted with loving messages and encouragement for Thore. “So happy you had a great time seeing a band you love! Enjoy Chicago!” a comment reads. “Girl, you look freaking gorgeous! Other reactions include, “Are you aging in reverse?,” “No words. The outpouring of positive feedback highlights the strong connection Thore has with her audience.
Weight Loss Journey and Body Positivity
Thore has worked hard to achieve her weight loss, and when she started filming “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” in 2015, she weighed 385 pounds, People reports. She has also denied using surgery to lose weight. While Thore's weight loss has been a significant part of her story, she has also emphasized the importance of body positivity and self-acceptance at any size.
Navigating Life in the Public Eye
“I’m a public person. I’m on reality TV. I don’t have any control over what people think about me, how they perceive me, how I’m presented,” she told People in an interview on July 2, 2024, about the challenges that come with being a reality TV star. “That’s not in my control. She continued, “There’s been too much good. Thore has many loyal fans and over 1.3 million followers on Instagram alone. Being in the public eye comes with its own set of challenges, including scrutiny and judgment. Thore has addressed these challenges head-on, maintaining a positive attitude and focusing on the good.
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Intermittent Fasting
This woman used Intermittent Fasting to help her break through a weight loss plateau. I am a busy mom of 2 who is always on the go. Having children did a number on my body. Not just weight, but my hormones too. I’ve always been active and know how to “eat clean.” It wasn’t until I discovered Autumn’s program, and learned the nerdy science behind the nutrient timing, that I really began to break past the plateau after my second baby and finally lose the weight. I am looking forward to continuing with Level Up to focus on hormone balancing! Yes. I didn’t realize how much I would learn. I feel so light and less bloated! The kids and I love making homemade tortillas together. It’s easier than you think it would be. I'm a Clinical Nutritionist with my Masters in Nutrition and Human Performance. I've been in the nutrition, weight loss and health industry for over a decade.
GLP-1 Medications and Celebrity Experiences
GLP-1 medications are no longer Hollywood’s “worst kept secret.” From award-winning actors to tennis icons, more and more celebrities are sharing how GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro have shaped their weight loss experiences.Their honesty is helping shift the conversation away from shame and toward real talk about weight management and the impact this can have on all aspects of life, including physical and mental health.
Several celebrities have openly discussed their experiences with GLP-1 medications, contributing to a broader conversation about weight management and health.
Serena Williams
The tennis legend Serena Williams revealed in summer 2025 that after having her second child she lost 31 pounds (lb) by using the GLP‑1 drug Zepbound (tirzepatide). In an interview with People, she emphasized that even after extensive sports training and healthy eating, she felt stuck.“I knew my body was missing something it needed. For me, the answer was GLP-1s,” Williams said.As a paid ambassador for Ro, a telehealth GLP-1 provider, she’s using her platform to emphasize that using a weight loss drug “isn’t a shortcut, it’s healthcare.” And that the drug is part of an overall plan that also includes a healthy diet and exercise.“I feel like I have a lot of energy and it’s great. I just feel pretty good about it,” said Williams.
Oprah Winfrey
In March 2024, Winfrey hosted a prime-time show on ABC titled An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame, and the Weight Loss Revolution, in which she talked about all things GLP-1.“In my entire life, I never dreamed that we would be talking about medicines that are providing hope for people like me who have struggled for years with being overweight or with obesity,” she told People magazine.Not only did Winfrey open up about her own journey, but she also started a conversation about why there’s so much judgment around taking these medications, in an effort to normalize their use. “So I come to this conversation in the hope that we can start releasing the stigma and the shame and the judgment … to stop shaming other people for being overweight or how they chose to lose and not lose weight,” said Winfrey.
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Rebel Wilson
The star of Pitch Perfect and The Hustle shared that she used Ozempic for a period of time to maintain the weight loss she experienced when she made 2020 her “Year of Health” and lost 77 lb.“Someone like me could have a bottomless appetite for sweets, so I think those drugs can be good,” she later said in a 2024 interview. Wilson added that she no longer used GLP-1s and was happy with her current “still curvy and solid” weight.“I feel strongly that young women shouldn’t try to obsess over looking like Victoria’s Secret models - they should just look like themselves. … I know that my relationship with food is complicated,” she also said.
Whoopi Goldberg
In 2024 the actor and talk show personality revealed to her cohosts on The View that she took Mounjaro (tirzepatide) to lose a significant amount of weight. “I will tell you, I weighed almost 300 lb when I made [the 2022 film] Till. I had taken all those steroids, I was on all this stuff, and one of the things that’s helped me drop the weight was the Mounjaro. That’s what I used.”Goldberg also discussed how all the constant chatter around people’s appearance can be harmful - and how everyone should be nicer to themselves and others. “Maybe the key is to stop judging everybody. Maybe that’s the key,” she said.
Charles Barkley
The former professional basketball star said he lost around 60 lb by taking Mounjaro, in addition to maintaining a healthy diet and exercise.“It's been great. I'm starting to feel like a human being,” Barkley revealed on The Pat McAfee Show, according to a post on the social platform X. Describing his experience, he said, “It's been amazing,” and added that his ultimate goal is to live longer. “I started at 352, and I’m down to 290,” with an ultimate goal of 270, he said.
Kathy Bates
The Oscar winner Kathy Bates has lost 100 lb over the past seven years - 80 through lifestyle changes and the final 20 with Ozempic. The journey began after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis that inspired her to “get serious about her health,” she said in a 2024 interview.“It was hard work … especially during the pandemic,” said Bates.The actor also shared her plans to work out more with activities like walking and Pilates in order to maintain her weight loss.
Meghan Trainor
The “All About That Bass” singer and her husband, the actor Daryl Sabara, took the lowest drug dose and combined the shots with exercise and balanced meals in a weight loss journey made for two.The Grammy winner took to social media to respond to people who kept commenting on her transformation after her appearance at Billboard’s 2025 Women in Music Awards."No, I don’t look like I did 10 years ago. I’ve been on a journey to be the healthiest, strongest version of myself for my kids and for me. I’ve worked with a dietitian, 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,” Trainor wrote on Instagram.
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Billie Jean King
Ten-time Grand Slam winner Billie Jean King spoke to actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus on the podcast Wiser Than Me about her decision to try a GLP-1.“I’m a binge eater,” said the 80-year-old King. “Every morning, I wake up, I tell myself I have an eating disorder. … It’s interesting with the new injections, you know, with the Ozempics of the world. It’s very interesting because my doctor wants me to try it.”She later revealed that she had already started on the medication and hoped that it would help quiet the food noise in her mind.
Jim Gaffigan
The comedian Jim Gaffigan, author of the bestselling book Dad Is Fat, shared in an interview with People that after his weight reached 270 pounds, he tried Mounjaro and lost 50 pounds, crediting the drug for helping him feel better, lighter, and more alive. “I’m just grateful because it’s such a better life,” he said.Gaffigan is puzzled by the stigma around the medication, which is part of the reason he wanted to talk about it. She told listeners on her podcast, “You thought they were going to make a weight loss drug and I wasn't going to take it?”She joked at the time that she would regain the weight because her Ozempic use wasn’t permanent. In a 2024 interview she revealed that she’d stopped taking the injections when she and her husband, Ben Soffer, decided to have kids.
When one fan asked the billionaire owner of X in 2022, “What’s your secret? You look awesome, fit, ripped, and healthy. Lifting weights? In addition to staying on the weight loss drugs, the actor eats less sugar, drinks water, and tries to move more.The comedian and former star of The Last O.G. made headlines when he shared on Today in 2023 that he was taking Ozempic. “That’s how this weight got lost. … I went and got a prescription and I got Ozempic. I'm not letting it go,” he said.Morgan has continued to praise the drug, saying, “Ozempic did great by me and I was glad to use it. I take Ozempic every Thursday,” as E! News reported. “It cuts my appetite in half.”Surprisingly, the comedian didn’t know she was taking Ozempic when she first received a prescription, she said in an interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast. “My anti-aging doctor just hands it out to anybody,” Handler said. “I didn't even know I was on it.”Apparently, that doctor suggested she take it “if you ever want to drop five pounds.” Handler later realized she was on the medication when she told a friend she was taking semaglutide, and her friend said it was Ozempic. Since then, Handler has stopped taking the medication.Schumer’s first go-round with a GLP-1 didn’t go well.