Kelly Clarkson has opened up about her experience with weight loss, and she’s gotten mixed reactions from fans in response.
The 41-year-old singer said during a recent episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show that she used a weight loss medication after her guest, Whoopi Goldberg, raved about taking the injectable weight loss drug Mounjaro.
That prompted Kelly to share her own experience. Kelly revealed that she lost “a lot” of weight, before saying, “mine is a different one than people assume, but I ended up having to do that too because my bloodwork got so bad.” She also added this: “Everybody thinks it’s Ozempic. It’s not.”
People had thoughts after that. “Why did you lie about how you lost weight?” one person wrote in the comments of one of Kelly’s Instagram posts. “She lies about medication? Why wouldn’t she want everyone to benefit like she has? Is she really that selfish? 💁♂️” another said.
But fellow talk show hosts Al Roker and Joy Behar have come to her defense.
"There's too much judgment going on," Al told fans on a May 14 episode of Today. "People, as long as they're working with their doctors and being healthy about it, people ought to just back off and let them live their lives."
Over the last few months, Kelly has been open about moving into an active lifestyle, switching up her diet, and taking a prescription medication to aid with her weight loss. Back in January, she revealed a pre-diabetic diagnosis, along with a cross-country move to New York City, kicked her into action.
“I was very unhappy in L.A. and had been for several years. I needed a fresh start,” Kelly told People at the time. “I was going through a really rough few years, and even in the first season it was rough behind closed doors. Just to be able to come into season 5 feeling good and knowing my kids feel good— and the dust has settled. Season 5 is my first season to actually enjoy every minute of it.”
Now, the “You Don’t Make Me Cry” singer says her workouts, diet, and lifestyle have all been revamped to help her on her journey.
In December 2023, Kelly first hinted at her weight loss on her talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show. At the time, she shared that she doesn't wear Spanx anymore, per Life & Style. "In this building, it's so cold. I don't even need to wear Spanx anymore. I just wear them for warmth, like thermals," Kelly said during a singing game.
Below, here are all the details on Kelly Clarkson's weight loss journey so far, and how she keeps a positive, healthy mindset.
Did Kelly Clarkson use Ozempic for weight loss?
Kelly says she did not take Ozempic for weight loss. On a recent episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, the singer talked with her guest Whoopi Goldberg about weight loss. After Whoopi raved about taking Mounjaro, Kelly opened up about her own experience with weight loss medication.
Kelly shared that she’s lost “a lot” of weight and added, “Mine is a different one than people assume, but I ended up having to do that too because my bloodwork got so bad.” She also added that she did not take Ozempic.
Kelly didn’t name the medication but said that it’s “something that aids in helping break down the sugar—obviously my body doesn’t do it right.” She also said that her doctor “chased me for, like two years.”
“I was like, ‘No, I’m afraid of it. I already have thyroid problems,’” she said.
But Kelly told Whoopi that she decided to start taking medication after she watched a birthday special that she planned to release. “All of a sudden I paused it, and I was like ‘who is f— is that?’” she said. “You see it and you're like, ‘Well, she’s about to die of a heart attack,’" Kelly said.
Kelly also shared that, at her heaviest, she weighed 203 pounds (she’s five feet, 3.5 inches.)
“It’s a weird thing. … I never saw that. I was never insecure about it. I was happy. People were like, 'Oh, she must not have been happy.' No, I was happy. I just did not see that,” she said. Kelly said that she also spoke to her manager, who she’s known for 15 years, and got a similar reaction. “She was like, ‘I know, I’m kind of as shocked as you,’” Kelly said. “And I think because your people are with you the whole time, so it’s gradual. You don’t even realize.”
And while some fans have critiqued Kelly for not revealing which medication she takes, her famous friends have come to her defense.
"As somebody who's fought with this... I took a raft of stuff when I had bypass surgery," Today co-host Al Roker, who underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2002, said during a May 14 episode. "It's not easy, whatever you do. So get off people's backs."
The ladies of The View weighed in too, with Whoopi pointing out that, "They kick her behind when she’s bigger, they kick her behind when she’s lost the weight, and now they’re kicking her behind because she said it out loud."
Joy, 81, added that "diets do not work" for her, while Sunny Hostin, 55, reflected on an "epidemic of [body] shaming."
"It all has to stop," Sunny continued. "People don’t say to a guy, 'Hey, are you on Viagra?' I don’t think the personal health choices you make for yourself should be subject to discussion."
A health scare kick-started her weight-loss journey.
On January 29, Kelly revealed on her show that she received a pre-diabetic diagnosis a few years ago after guest Kevin James complemented her appearance.
“Well, I was told I was pre-diabetic,” the host explained. “That’s literally what happened…and well, I wasn’t shocked. I was a tiny bit overweight.”
Kelly continued, “They were like, ‘You’re pre-diabetic. You’re right on the borderline.’ And I was like, ‘But I’m not there yet,” she said jokingly. “And then I waited two years and then I was like OK, I’ll do something about it.”
How much weight did Kelly Clarkson lose?
Kelly shared on The Kelly Clarkson Show that she weighed 203 pounds at her heaviest and didn’t recognize herself when she watched back an episode of her show she had taped. “All of a sudden I paused it and I was like ‘who is f*ck is that?’” she said. “You see it and you're like, 'Well, she’s about to die of a heart attack.”
Kelly stressed that she was “never insecure” about her weight. “I was happy. People were like, 'Oh, she must not have been happy.' No, I was happy, I just did not see that,” she said.
Kelly said that she ended up talking to her manager, who has been with her for 15 years, about it. “She was like, ‘I know, I’m kind of as shocked as you,’” Kelly said. “And I think because your people are with you the whole time, so it’s gradual. You don’t even realize.”
Kelly hasn’t publicly shared how much weight she’s lost, but Extra reports that it’s about 60 pounds.
How did Kelly Clarkson lose weight?
In 2023, Kelly requested that her talk show be moved to the Big Apple because she needed a change. “We told NBC, ‘I’m not trying to sound ungrateful, I just can’t stay here anymore for my mental health; for me and my kids.’ They weren’t doing well either,” she said. “For the past few years, I’d just been showing up and smiling and doing what I’m supposed to do, but you can only compartmentalize so long until you break."
After moving to the city that never sleeps, Kelly had to walk a lot more. Relocating to New York City ultimately helped Kelly get her body moving and start losing weight.
“We go walk the dogs a few times at the park. We'll go for ice cream because my daughter will wear me down. We'll go make slime and we go to the museum,” she said. Kelly also added, “Walking in the city is quite the workout."
But that's not all she did. Kelly began making changes to her diet and wellness practices, too, which ultimately helped supplement her healthy lifestyle after her pre-diabetic diagnosis.
How did she change her diet?
Kelly shared with People that she’s re-vamped her diet, and is focusing on eating lots of protein.
“I eat a healthy mix,” she said. “I dropped weight because I’ve been listening to my doctor—a couple years I didn’t. And 90 percent of the time I’m really good at it because a protein diet is good for me anyway. I’m a Texas girl, so I like meat—sorry, vegetarians in the world!”
As Kelly noted, her diet is a healthy mix, meaning she still allows space for treats.
“But I still splurge. The other night I had a frozen yogurt with my daughter, and it was magical," she added.
One healthy snack Kelly loves? Rob’s Backstage Popcorn. The “Breakaway” singer collaborated with the popcorn brand to create her own signature flavor: Kelly's Classic BBQ. The brand describes the flavor concept as being pulled from “Kelly's southern roots to create a sweet and smoky barbecue flavor unlike any popcorn you have had before.”
Kelly recently shared in an Instagram video promoting the popcorn that it’s one of her favorite snacks. “I like barbecue, I’m Texan,” she said. “I dare you to not eat the whole bag. It’s so good.” She also added that she loves the popcorn because it’s gluten-free and non-GMO, and “That’s all important to me.” (FYI: The popcorn is also plant-based, per the brand.)
In 2018, Kelly shared that she'd lost 37 pounds. "I know the industry loves the weight gone, but for me it wasn’t really the weight,” she told Today host Hoda Kotb, instead pointing to an autoimmune disease and thyroid issues as the reasons to shift her diet.
"For me, it wasn't really the weight. For me, it's I'm not on my medicine anymore," she said. "My blood work came back, and I haven't been on my medicine since February."
Kelly told Extra that she'd lost weight following The Plant Paradox book by Dr. Steven Gundry. The Plant Paradox Diet is a lectin-free diet that eliminates beans, legumes, whole grains, certain vegetables, and dairy.
"I literally read this book, and I did it for this autoimmune disease that I had and I had a thyroid issue, and now all my levels are back up," Kelly told Extra. "I'm not on medicine anymore because of this book. It's basically about how we cook our food, non-GMO, no pesticides, eating really organic...Literally, I haven't worked out at all!"
Watch this to learn about Kelly Clarkson's journey from American Idol to pop legend:
What workouts does Kelly do?
Aside from walking all over New York, Kelly hasn't shared a ton of details on her current gym routine. However, she previously opened up about her workout routine during a visit to The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2020.
"Sometimes I'm more fit and I get into kickboxing hardcore. And then sometimes I don't, and I'm like...I'd rather have wine," per People.
She’s not into shopping for new clothes, though.
While Kelly is all about walking the streets of New York, you’re unlikely to find her cruising into stores along the way. She revealed on her show that she’s anti-shopping.
Kelly shared with Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush that she “doesn’t fit into” her clothes. “I love losing weight but here’s the thing: Jeans are so hard when you have a butt and, like, smaller waist.”
After Jenna offered to take Kelly shopping, she totally shot her down. “I don’t want to go shopping,” she said. Jenna sweetly offered to buy Kelly a few pairs, like she said she does for her Today co-host, Hoda Kotb—an idea that Kelly seemed really into.
Kelly also showed a picture on the show of Jenna and Barbara dressed in identical outfits as kids. “Those drop waist things were popular,” Jenna commented on the look. “Which is not good for girls with curves later on,” Kelly said. Jenna said that she was “chubby” as a kid, and Barbara agreed that “there was a stage” for her sister. Kelly laughed and chimed in with, “I’ve had many stages,” before they all cracked up.
Kelly started prioritizing her wellness practices.
Kelly shared she’s been indulging in infrared saunas, which have been found to improve sleep, relieve stress and pain, and help clear skin.
She's also started dabbling in cold plunges. “I just got a cold plunge because everybody wore me down,” Kelly added. Cold plunges are also known to help with cardiovascular health and can boost your metabolism, per Healthline.com.
She keeps a healthy mindset about weight loss.
While Kelly’s weight has gotten unnecessary attention for years, she told Glamour UK in 2020 that being her thinnest doesn't always mean she's feeling her most confident.
“I got on the No. 1 television show [The Voice] at my heaviest point because it was right after I had kids, and it was like they didn’t care,” Kelly shared with the magazine. “Paul (Telegdy, chairman of NBC Entertainment) hired me from NBC because he loved my personality, he loved that I connect with people, and I’m really raw and real. It had nothing to do with my sex appeal or my look aesthetically. It had to do with me as a person. I think it’s really up to artists to force people to have that mentality.”
In 2017, Kelly was at her lowest weight and admitted that she was having dark thoughts, per Page Six. “I was miserable, like inside and out, for four years of my life. But no one cared, because aesthetically you make sense," she said to Attitude Magazine.
Kelly, who has struggled with mental health, opened up about going to therapy and admitted that despite having a good friend group and supportive family, it benefited her to hear a mental health expert’s perspective on what she was going through, according to Self.
“They give you so many tools for how to navigate certain situations and also to have somebody outside your circle that doesn’t know anything, but just knows what’s happening in the now,” she told Entertainment Tonight Canada.
Kelly has also been open up about the struggles of finding new clothes when your body is changing. "I love losing weight, but here's the thing, jeans are so hard when you have a butt and a smaller waist," she said. "This is a first-world problem, I realize. And it's a great problem."
As she's navigating these changes, Kelly's sense of humor remains a constant. Recently, she cracked a joke about wearing form-fitting clothes while onstage during her Las Vegas residency. While leaning down to take a birthday shot with one of her fans, Kelly quipped that she couldn't bend over properly in the tight outfit. “I lost weight, and now they’re like, ‘Let’s get you in some tight shit!’” Kelly said as she took a knee to grab the drink from her fan. “I really can’t bend,” she giggled.
Kelly has denied using weight-loss supplements in the past.
In 2019, the singer tweeted, "Other fake news that’s going around about me is that I’ve been taking weird pills 4 weight loss or doing weird fad diets. All of this is not true. I ain’t got time 4 all that. I eat the same stuff I always have. It’s all just made w/different flours/sugars/ingredients."
In 2023, a Facebook post that looks like it was written by Kelly (spoiler: It wasn’t) went viral. In it, fake-Kelly says that she bought “effective slimming gummies,” before plugging a product. The post also shows several doctored pictures of Kelly holding the gummies in places where she’s highly unlikely to be doing that, like on the red carpet and while posing next to Dr. Oz. Still, the post has gotten a lot of attention and been passed around a lot, which is probably why Kelly’s team decided to step in.
Kelly’s publicist, Melissa Kates, said in a statement to the Associated Press that the singer and talk show host “does not have any affiliation as a spokesperson” for any “weight loss products/programs.” Meaning, this is bogus.
Ultimately, Kelly told People that she’s learned to be kinder to herself, offering this advice to her 15-year-old self: “I’ve always been that kind of person that’s a little hard on oneself. I’d be like, ‘It’s not going to happen anytime soon, but eventually it’ll get easier. Around 41, you’re really going to get your s--- together.'"
Kelly’s weight loss medication revelation has sparked conversation about what celebrities should share about their health.
While the comments of Kelly’s Instagram posts are dominated with people upset that she didn’t talk about using weight loss medication sooner, others have jumped to her defense, saying that her health is personal.
“Why do we always have to tell everybody everything? Is there anyone of us out there who discovered ourselves to be morbidly obese that wouldn’t welcome any kind of medical help we could get?” one person wrote in the comments of one of Kelly’s Instagram posts. “And it was her business if she wanted to share that part at that time or if she chose not to.”
Another person chimed in with this: “You look great, and here’s the main thing… what you did and how you did it is none of our business. So screw all of the haters.”
Sydney is a freelance writer in the beauty, lifestyle, and wellness space. She has written for multiple publications throughout her career, including InStyle, Architectural Digest, Glamour, and Elle, in addition to a copywriting for a handful of beauty and wellness brands.
Jacqueline Tempera is an award-winning writer and reporter living in New Jersey with her many pets. She is a business owner and a double Scorpio who loves all things astrology and reality television. She is passionate about body diversity and representation, mental health, and the fight to end sexual assault and harassment. To learn more about Jackie, follow her on Instagram @jacktemp or visit her website at jackietempera.com.
