Kelly Clarkson is opening up about her recent weight loss, sharing that a moment where she did not recognize herself on screen prompted her to make changes.
During an interview with Whoopi Goldberg on a recent episode of her talk show, "The Kelly Clarkson Show," the singer said she was watching a taped performance of herself singing and didn't recognize herself on the TV screen.
"We were in my house in New York, like, watching it," the 42-year-old said, "and then all of a sudden I paused and I was like, 'Who the f--k is that?' I swear to god, it sounds insane."
Clarkson added that even her close circle of friends and colleagues hadn't noticed her weight gain, saying, "I looked at my manger ... and she was like, 'I'm kind of as shocked as you.' I think [it's] because your people are with you the whole time, so it's gradual. You don't even realize."
The mom-of-two shared with Goldberg that at the time, she weighed over 200 pounds.
"I never saw that," she said of her weight. "I was never insecure about it. I was happy ... I just did not see that."
Clarkson continued, "I maybe should have known because I watched that show and I was like, 'Any second now, she is going to die.'"
After Goldberg shared with Clarkson that she had lost a significant amount of weight by using a medication for weight loss, the name of which she did not disclose, Clarkson revealed that she too had been on a medication.
Kelly Clarkson opens up about weight loss: 'I've been listening to my doctor'Clarkson also did not share the name of the medication she was taking, but said she was advised to take it by her doctor.
"My doctor chased me for like two years, and I was like, 'No, I'm afraid of it,'" Clarkson said of her initial reluctance to taking a medication. "I already have thyroid problems. I was afraid."
Clarkson said the medication she is on, which she said is not Ozempic, is one "that aids in helping break down the sugar, which obviously my body doesn't do well."
Over the past two years, drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro and others that can lead to weight loss have become more widely available and skyrocketed in popularity.
Both Ozempic and Mounjaro are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but some doctors prescribe the medication "off-label" for weight loss, as is permissible
Wegovy and Zepbound, which contain the same active ingredients as Ozempic and Mounjaro, respectively, are each FDA-approved as a weight loss management treatment for people with obesity, or those who are overweight with at least one related underlying condition, such as high blood pressure. Unlike Zepbound, Wegovy is also FDA-approved to help children aged 12 years and older with obesity.
The medications work, in part, by reducing blood sugar, slowing down the movement of food through the stomach, creating a sense of fullness and curbing appetite, thereby causing weight loss.
In an interview with People published earlier this year, Clarkson said she had lost weight by following the advice of her doctor.
"I eat a healthy mix," Clarkson said of her diet, which she also said focuses heavily on protein. "I dropped weight because I've been listening to my doctor -- a couple years I didn't."
Clarkson also told People that she focused on changing her lifestyle -- prioritizing healthy eating and exercise -- after moving cross-country from Los Angeles to New York City.
"Walking in the city is quite the workout," Clarkson said, adding that she has also embraced other wellness trends, including infrared saunas and cold plunges.
