Oprah Winfrey feels better than ever before. Although the media mogul has been candid about her use of GLP-1s for weight loss, she recently revealed an unexpected result of the medication: She no longer drinks alcohol.
"I was a big fan of tequila," Oprah told People in an interview published on December 30th. "I literally had 17 shots one night." But after using GLP-1s, the 71-year-old said her days of outdrinking "everyone at the table" are over. "The fact that I no longer even have a desire for it," she noted, "is pretty amazing."
That amazing feeling has carried over into almost every facet of her life. "I feel more alive and more vibrant than I've ever been," Oprah shared, who confirmed she was using a GLP-1 in 2023. "I'm not constantly punishing myself. I hardly recognize the woman I've become. But she's a happy woman." Plus, she feels she has more energy for her loved ones, including partner Stedman Graham, who she said has been "nothing but supportive."
"I feel like I have more to give to everybody," she added. "I'm just more open to all." There's also no longer the shame Oprah felt over her struggle to maintain weight loss. "I avoided the word 'obesity.' It connoted 'out of control,'" she explained. "But I came to understand that overeating doesn't cause obesity. Obesity causes overeating. And that's the most mind-blowing, freeing thing I've experienced as an adult."
And for those with similar struggles, she has a simple message: It's not your fault. "I want people to stop blaming themselves for genes and an environment they can't control," she said. "I want people to have the information, whatever you choose to do with it, whether you get the medications, or whether you want to keep dieting."
