American singer and body positivity icon Lizzo has opened up about the complex realities behind her significant weight loss journey, while simultaneously raising alarms about the cultural impact of the Ozempic boom on representation and body image standards.
The Transformation Journey Begins
In late 2023, Melissa Viviane Jefferson, known globally as Lizzo, embarked on a health transformation that would see her lose over 15% body fat and achieve a 10.5 point reduction in BMI. The Detroit-born artist, famous for hits like "Truth Hurts," had always been vocal about body image issues and self-acceptance, making her journey particularly significant for her millions of followers.
By January 2024, Lizzo celebrated reaching her weight-release goal, sharing on Instagram that she hadn't seen that number on the scale since 2014. She emphasized that this achievement resulted from consistent effort rather than shortcuts, specifically mentioning her dedication to Pilates and therapy as key components of her transformation.
The Ozempic Phenomenon Explained
What began as a medical breakthrough has transformed into a cultural phenomenon. Ozempic, originally approved by the FDA in 2017 for treating type 2 diabetes, contains semaglutide as its active ingredient. In 2021, the agency approved a higher dose version called Wegovy specifically for obesity treatment.
The drug works as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, developed to treat metabolic diseases. However, dramatic weight-loss results and celebrity endorsements have pushed these medications into mainstream use for cosmetic weight loss. Recent surveys indicate that approximately one in eight American adults has used a GLP-1 drug, with usage rates continuing to climb.
Cultural Impact and Representation Concerns
Lizzo's recent Substack essay highlights worrying trends beyond personal health choices. She points to the disappearance of extended sizes from websites, reduced plus-size runway bookings, and the emergence of what she describes as "pseudo-representation" in fashion and media.
The artist specifically referenced plus-size model Ashley Graham's appearance on major fashion runways, questioning whether such representation truly reflects the experiences of most plus-size women. "With perfectly toned arms, chiselled back, shaped thighs, and a flawlessly flat stomach—has anyone working for that brand ever seen a plus-size woman?" Lizzo questioned in her essay.
Mental Health and Medical Realities
Behind Lizzo's physical transformation lies a deeper mental health struggle. The artist confessed that in late 2023, amid depression and a high-profile lawsuit, she felt "deeply suicidal." Rather than turning to binge-eating, she chose therapy and Pilates as healing mechanisms.
Medical evidence supports both benefits and concerns regarding GLP-1 drugs. While clinical trials show substantial, sustained weight loss for people with obesity, emerging data reveals potential risks. Recent studies indicate users face a 98% higher risk of psychiatric disorders, including significant increases in depression, anxiety, and suicidal behavior.
Furthermore, rapid weight loss through pharmaceutical means can lead to physical changes like "Ozempic face" (facial volume loss) and other structural alterations, while reproductive cautions advise against use during pregnancy without medical supervision.
The Commercialization of Body Positivity
Lizzo's critique extends to how the body positivity movement has been co-opted by commercial interests. What began as a radical acceptance movement has been absorbed into marketing strategies that often abandon plus-size representation when smaller sizes prove more profitable.
This commercialization, as Lizzo notes, creates space for the "male gaze" to thrive—referencing Laura Mulvey's theory that cultural images are produced through and for a heterosexual male perspective. The pressure to conform to narrow beauty standards becomes a collective erasure of bodies that once disrupted traditional aesthetic scripts.
Despite her personal transformation, Lizzo maintains that the issue isn't about individual choices but systemic pressures. "If a woman wants to change, she should be allowed to change. But we have a lot of work to do, to undo the effects of the Ozempic boom," she asserts, highlighting how her musical talent was often overshadowed by discussions about her body size.
The artist continues to weigh over 200 pounds and emphasizes she's not rushing toward any specific "goal weight," instead focusing on holistic wellbeing while advocating for broader cultural change in how we perceive and represent diverse body types.
