Kelly Clarkson has long been candid about her weight loss journey and the impact it’s had on her life.
The singer and talk show host has shared the strategies she’s turned to and opened up about the health issues that have impacted her progress.
When Clarkson first moved to New York City from California, she says the shift to walking from place to place in addition to a high-protein diet have made all the difference.
Clarkson saw additional changes in her weight once she worked a medication into her lifestyle. Earlier this year, when Clarkson had Whoopi Goldberg as a guest on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” she revealed that her recent weight loss has been aided by weight loss medication, though she did not specify the brand. Goldberg revealed she was using one, too.
Fans once again marveled at Clarkson when she appeared at the 2024 Daytime Emmy Awards in June. She appeared to have lost additional weight while dressed a bright-pink, form-fitting gown with a matching cape.
Here’s what to know about Kelly Clarkson’s weight loss journey based on what she’s shared publicly.
What drug is Kelly Clarkson taking to lose weight?
Clarkson did not specify what weight-loss medication she is taking beyond that it is not Ozempic.
She confirmed the rumors during a May episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” when chatting with Whoopi Goldberg, who’s also been open about using Mounjaro, another weight-loss drug.
While the “American Idol” winner was initially unsure about trying medication to lose weight, she said she decided to “because my blood work got so bad.”
“My doctor chased me for like two years, and I was like, ‘No I’m afraid of it, I already have thyroid problems,’” she explained.
“Everyone thinks it’s Ozempic — it’s not. It’s something else,” she told Goldberg. “But it’s something that aids in helping break down the sugar. Obviously my body doesn’t do it right.”
She added that she didn’t notice how much weight she’d gained prior to starting the medication. But catching a glimpse of herself on camera one day prompted her to pause and ask herself “Who the f–k is that?” she recalled.
“My heaviest, I was like 203, and I’m 5 foot 3 and a half,” Clarkson continued. “It’s funny because people assume, ‘Oh she must’ve been miserable, depressed, whatever,’ and I was like, ‘No I was not.'”
“I was never insecure about it, I was happy,” she added.
How did Kelly Clarkson lose weight?
In addition to taking a weight-loss drug, Clarkson has made lifestyle changes for her long-term health.
In January 2024, she credited her move to New York City for helping her get active. In an exclusive interview with People, she revealed that she’s lost weight because she’s now taking her wellness seriously and walking more.
She did not address her gym routine but said, “Walking in the city is quite the workout.”
Clarkson chose to relocate her talk show to New York from Los Angeles in 2023. “I was very unhappy in L.A. and had been for several years. I needed a fresh start,” Clarkson told People. California, she said, wasn’t good for her mental health.
In New York, she adopted a few other wellness trends, too. “I’m really into infrared saunas right now. And I just got a cold plunge because everybody wore me down,” the “Piece By Piece” singer added.
As for her diet, Clarkson isn’t doing anything extreme.
“I eat a healthy mix,” she told People. “I dropped weight because I’ve been listening to my doctor — a couple (of) years I didn’t. And 90% 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!”
“But I still splurge. The other night I had a frozen yogurt with my daughter, and it was magical,” added the Grammy winner, who shares daughter River Rose, 10, and son Remington, 8, with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock.
Kelly Clarkson’s thyroid and other health issues
Clarkson has spoken before about her thyroid and autoimmune issues and trying to lose weight to address them.
For example, she changed her diet and ended up losing about 37 pounds, she told TODAY’s Hoda Kotb in 2018.
“I know the industry loves the weight gone, but for me, it wasn’t really the weight,” Clarkson said at the time.
Back then, to lose the weight, Clarkson focused on a lectin-free diet, she told Extra. Lectins are the proteins that bind carbohydrates. (Talk to a health professional before making any major changes to your diet, such as removing carbs.)
Clarkson read a book about lectins and cut them out of her diet which meant no legumes, beans, whole grains, dairy and certain veggies.
“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,” she said during the interview. “Literally, I haven’t worked out at all.”
During a January 2024 episode of her talk show, she revealed she was prediabetic.
“I wasn’t shocked,” Clarkson said. “I was a tiny bit overweight. … They were like, ‘You’re prediabetic. You’re right on the borderline.’ And I was like, ‘But I’m not there yet.’”
Two years after finding out, she decided to change her lifestyle habits.
Having prediabetes means your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but still lower than the range for Type 2 diabetes, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Exercise and a healthy diet can help reduce the risk of it progressing.
Kelly Clarkson’s weight struggles
Throughout her years in Hollywood, the “American Idol” star has had to deal with a lot of commentary about her size.
She told Glamour UK in 2020 that being thin doesn’t always give her more confidence, adding that she got her coaching role on “The Voice” after gaining some weight.
“I got on the No. 1 television show at my heaviest point, because it was right after I had kids, and it was like they didn’t care,” Clarkson said.
“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.”
Clarkson and TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager bonded over weight struggles when Jenna and her twin sister, Barbara Pierce Bush, appeared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” in November 2023.
During the conversation, Clarkson showed a photo of Jenna and Barbara dressed identically as kids.
“Those drop waist things were popular,” Jenna said of the dresses she and her sister were wearing in the pic. Clarkson interjected, “Which is not good for girls with curves later on.”
After Jenna remarked that she and Barbara “were chubby” as children, Barbara agreed: “Well, there was a stage.”
Clarkson then gave Jenna a high-five, joking, “I’ve had many stages.
