Global media icon Oprah Winfrey has shared a powerful and personal account of her lifelong struggle with weight, framing it not as a lack of willpower but as a complex medical condition. In a candid interview with CBS News, the 71-year-old reflected on a journey marked by public scrutiny, extreme diets, and a transformative shift in understanding the biology of obesity.
The Public Struggle and a Private Humiliation
Despite her unparalleled professional success, Winfrey revealed that her weight remained a persistent and painful battle. She recalled a specific moment from 1985 when she was bluntly questioned about her size during a television appearance. The exchange left her feeling humiliated, yet she internalized the criticism. "I thought, 'She's right,'" Winfrey said, highlighting the deep-seated shame she carried.
For over four decades, she cycled through intense weight loss regimens, including extreme dieting, rigorous exercise, and even marathon training. Each time, however, her body would return to a familiar range. "No matter how hard I worked, my body was always trying to get back there," she told CBS News.
The Medical Breakthrough: Understanding the 'Enough Point'
Winfrey's experience, she now understands, is linked to a scientifically recognized concept: a genetically influenced "set point." This is a weight range that the body naturally defends through metabolic adjustments. Winfrey refers to this as the "enough point," a central theme in a book she co-wrote with Dr. Ania Jastreboff of the Yale School of Medicine, titled Enough.
Dr. Jastreboff explained the biological reality to CBS News. When people drastically cut calories, the body compensates by slowing metabolism and increasing hunger signals. "We end up eating more and burning less," she stated, noting that the simplistic advice to "eat less and move more" ignores this powerful physiological defense mechanism. This view is supported by the American Medical Association, which classifies obesity as a chronic, treatable disease.
For Winfrey, this medical perspective was life-changing. "It's not my fault," she said, releasing years of self-blame.
Finding Freedom: Medication, Acceptance, and Health
While new-generation weight-management medications have offered solutions to millions, Winfrey admitted she resisted them for years due to stigma and a belief in sheer willpower. She eventually began treatment two years ago, which she says has helped her achieve and maintain a healthier weight.
The shift has been profound on a daily basis. Describing the simple joy of packing for a trip, she said, "It's a joy to pack clothes knowing they'll fit and that I'll feel good in them." Today, she emphasizes feeling stronger and freer than she did in her younger decades.
Looking back, Winfrey believes her public vulnerability about weight helped forge a deep connection with her global audience. "I wouldn't change the journey," she reflected. "The struggle made me more relatable. And now, I feel the healthiest and strongest I've ever been." Her story offers a clear message in a world facing rising obesity rates and stigma: understanding the science of weight is a crucial step toward compassion, for others and for oneself.
