Melissa McCarthy – 70 Pounds

Known for movies like “The Boss” and “Can You Ever Forgive Me?,” the American comedian Melissa McCarthy rose to stardom when she landed the role of ‘Sookie St. James’ in “Gilmore Girls.” To appear in the series, however, McCarthy was forced to commit to a radical eating regimen that changed her looks but also took a heavy toll on the way she felt.

She managed to lose a whopping 70 pounds in just four months after visiting a doctor who recommended her an all-liquid diet. According to Women’s Health magazine, McCarthy hated it and felt “crazy and starved half the time.”

John Goodman – 100 Pounds

John Goodman was renowned as a big hilarious man who, at one point, topped 400 pounds. But the star of films like The Flintstones and 10 Cloverfield Lane decided to take a stance with his weight, changing his entire lifestyle in the process.

Goodman quit drinking and has attended daily Anonymous meetings since 2007. He also switched to a Mediterranean diet focusing on plant-based foods and limiting the red meat that he eats. Goodman has reprised his role as Dan in the Roseanne spinoff called The Conners. He will also be voicing his Monster’s Inc character in an upcoming series called Monsters At Work.

Jordin Sparks – 50 Pounds

Although Jordin Sparks never had any issue with her fuller figure, she did have a problem with her health. To improve her well-being, she decided to pursue a healthier approach to life, with the knock-on effect being weight loss.

Eighteen months after making a lifestyle change, Sparks had lost a total of 50 pounds. Her approach was to be more conscious of what she eats and also to hit the gym for both fitness and toning. An excellent start to her mornings is essential for Sparks, too, as she kicks off her day with a protein shake or some fruit.

Queen Latifah – 30 Pounds

Queen Latifah has always been a big woman, and she never had a problem with her body. But at some point, not caring about one’s health can start taking their toll. This is what happened to Queen Latifah, so she decided to change her way of living.

One of the fundamental changes she did was following a weight loss program. Latifah started doing the Jenny Craig diet but is now just using her common sense and self-discipline. She eats in moderation and exercises regularly. Her eating plan includes eating vegetables and lean meat and drinking lots of water.

Ricky Lake – 130 Pounds

Ricki Lake has no problem sharing her issues with her weight to the public. She even made no secret of it on her tabloid talk show called The Ricki Lake Show. Before she started taping for the program, she went on a diet and lost 100 pounds in six months.

Still, Ricki’s weight continued to fluctuate, especially after having children. After her second child in 2001, Lake pursued her weight loss journey with vigor and lost 30 pounds. She did so by managing her diet through a healthy food delivery service and getting regular exercise.

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi – 40 Pounds

Snooki became renowned as the full-figured party animal from the hit reality TV show Jersey Shore. The TV star, who is also a dancer and had stints as a professional wrestler, decided to lose weight to be healthier.

Her first attempt was in 2010 and involved the quick fix cookie diet by Dr. Sanford Siegel. It helped her lose 20 pounds, but she has since moved on to a more organic approach to weight loss. Since 2016, Snooki has been focusing on health instead of weight, eating proper portions of healthy food while also exercising regularly.

Al Roker – 140 Pounds

As NBC’s weatherman, Al Roker became well known for his weight as much as his weather forecasts. But while the recognition was good, Roker’s weight led to his friendships and marriage breaking down. Ultimately, he decided to take drastic action to solve his weight problem.

Roker had gastric sleeve surgery, and the procedure helped him lose 100 pounds. But not being satisfied with the result, Roker changed things up some more. He started following the ketogenic diet, and this low carb high-fat diet has already seen him drop another 40 pounds more.

Aretha Franklin – 100 Pounds

The late great songstress Aretha Franklin was renowned as the Queen of Soul, and she was also considered a diva. This label is about being big in personality, voice, and in some cases, body too. It’s probably why Aretha Franklin didn’t mind being a large woman.

But after she was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, she got a team of experts to help her switch up her lifestyle. They scrutinized her diet and came up with one that helped her drop 85 pounds. There are rumors that she went for bariatric surgery as well, though those rumors were never proven true.

Kelly Osbourne – 50 Pounds

Kelly Osbourne shot to fame thanks to her family’s reality show The Osbournes. While she never bothered about her weight before the show started, the spotlight made her more image-conscious. This was mostly due to the cyberbullying she went through for her weight and image.

Osbourne went through a weight loss journey that saw her weight fluctuate before it eventually dropped and stabilized. She attributes this weight loss to her vegan diet and regular hikes in the Hollywood Hills. Osbourne also has a personal trainer who trains both her and her mother, Sharon, leading to her 50-pound weight loss.

Dr. Dre – 50 Pounds

Being the man behind the scenes has its perks and drawbacks. You don’t need to worry too much about image, but at the same time, that can lead to you letting go. Dr. Dre experienced all this as he struggled with weight throughout his life.

Eventually, Dr. Dre decided to take his health and his weight seriously. He hired a celebrity trainer to help him slim down. His workouts involve a mixture of cardio, weights, and calisthenics that has helped him drop 50 pounds. All his efforts have lowered his blood pressure as well!

Jerry Ferrara – 55 Pounds

For eight years, Jerry Ferrara was renowned as the short and round driver for a big movie star in the hit HBO series, Entourage. But after the show ended, Ferrara decided to take control of his health, not for Hollywood, but his well-being.

Ferrara began by quitting smoking before moving onto a diet overhaul. Then came an exercise regiment that saw him return to playing sports, albeit in what he calls old man versions of basketball and boxing. He also went from walking on a treadmill to running on one.

Zach Galifianakis – 50 Pounds

Zach Galifianakis shot to fame as a part of the wolf pack in The Hangover film franchise. He even won the MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance for his character as Alan Garner. His performance earned him roles in other films like Youth In Revolt and Up In The Air.

Despite his success, he wasn’t happy with how his health and lifestyle were going, so Galifianakis made some drastic changes. These include giving up drinking, eating healthier, and exercising. He says he walks a lot, and just avoiding the booze has left him feeling way better in terms of his health and functionality.

Alec Baldwin – 60 Pounds

Alec Baldwin is a big name in the acting game. Shooting to fame for his role in the Knots Landing, he went on to star in films like Beetlejuice and Working Girl before having a lead role in the sitcom 30 Rock. However, he also went through a terrible health period.

According to Baldwin, he was pre-diabetic and didn’t want to be on insulin injections, so he decided to make changes to his diet. His main goal was to lose weight, which made him remove breakfast from his meal plan, replacing it with juicing in the morning. He also eliminated sugar from his diet and started exercising.

Rebel Wilson – 40-50 Pounds

Rebel Wilson has one of the strangest weight loss histories of any Hollywood star. She wanted to lose weight and be healthy, but she couldn’t. To play her most prominent role as Fat Amy in Pitch Perfect, she needed to stay the same size as when she auditioned.

Once the filming wrapped up for the three films, she stuck to her mission of reaching 180 pounds. She dubbed 2020 the year of health and has already lost 40 pounds. Her diet mostly revolves around cutting out snacking, gluten, and dairy and focusing on breakfast instead of dinner. She also works out five days a week.

Britney Spears – 16 Pounds

Britney Spears has had a turbulent life. She had a shotgun wedding with Kevin Federline, lost custody of her children, and needed a conservatorship with her father filling the role. The one thing she has always been, though, is fit and lean.

Her entire brand was built on this image of being active from her first song, where she’s seen dancing and singing. Dance is what Spears turns to whenever she needs to lose some weight, and she ensures she never skips a workout. It’s also helpful that she is dating Sam Ashgari, a personal trainer and budding actor.

50 Cent – 55 Pounds

If you remember the music video for In Da Club, you’ll know it involved a lean 50 Cent showing us the perfect specimen of a rapper. While his weight has fluctuated due to age and just the rigors of life, one of his most significant weight changes came for a completely different reason.

50 Cent had a role in the film Things Fall Apart, in which he played a football player who has cancer. To look the part he was playing, the star went on a liquid diet and ran on a treadmill for three hours a day to drop from 214 pounds to 160 pounds.

Ruben Studdard – 119 Pounds

After winning the second season of American Idol, Gospel singer Ruben Studdard became one of the leading artists in his genre with a Grammy Award nomination and a platinum album. He was on top of the world, but it all came crashing down when he was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.

Shocked into action, Studdard decided to make some changes to his lifestyle. To lose weight, he participated in The Biggest Loser and lost 70 pounds while on the show’s weight loss ranch. He continued his work off the ranch and has dropped an incredible 112 pounds now.

Chris Pratt – 60 Pounds

Before he was famous for playing Star-Lord in Marvel’s Guardian’s Of The Galaxy, Chris Pratt was renowned for his roles in Parks and Recreation and Everwood. After playing supporting roles in films like Wanted, Jeniffer’s Body, and Moneyball, he decided to chase some leading parts.

This was when he auditioned for Guardians of the Galaxy. Pratt weighed 300 pounds when he auditioned and, fearful that he may get turned down because of that, he made a plan to lose weight. He lost 60 pounds in 6 months following a paleo style diet and an intense workout regiment that included lots of running and cycling.

Shonda Rhimes – 117 Pounds

You know you’re a big deal when you’ve written Greys Anatomy and its spinoff Private Practice. However, for writer Shonda Rhimes, who also produced the hit show How To Get Away With Murder, it wasn’t ideal being a big deal in the body department.

After having her third child, she changed her lifestyle to drop some weight and ended up losing a massive 150 pounds. She adopted the keto diet while avoiding processed foods and sugars. She also exercised, starting small with a daily, half-hour walk, before moving on to more strenuous gym work.

Adam Richman – 70 Pounds

Considering that Adam Richman made a career out of hosting food-related shows like Food Fighters and Man Finds Food, you can forgive him for carrying a few pounds around his waistline. But you also need to admire his drive to lose the weight he put on and improve his health.

The critical thing he did was find balance in his diet. Richman says his main problem was not counting what he ate on the show as a part of his daily calorie intake. So he balanced it out by fasting before he does a show and exercising to fire up his metabolism, burning away the excess food.

Wayne Knight is most renowned for his role as the mailman Newman in Seinfeld and as Dennis Nedry, the guy who gets chowed by little raptors in Jurassic Park. He is also notable for being round around the waist—or at least he used to be.

Instead of a surgical or chemical approach, Knight used old fashioned discipline and hard work to achieve his weight loss goals. He cut down on his eating and started exercising more, not to be lighter, but to be healthier. His healthy lifestyle also helped him lose over 100 pounds!

Ricky Gervais – 40 Pounds

In the ’80s, Ricky Gervais wanted to be a pop star and worked in the music industry as the lead singer of the band Seona Dancing. He also managed the rock band Suede. When he didn’t make it in music, he eventually turned to comedy, which inspired him to create the British version of The Office.

In 2011, Gervais realized he was overweight and decided to take action. However, he didn’t change anything in his diet, focusing instead on exercise. He took up running and would also hit the gym regularly, but recently he admitted that his age means that he needs to watch what he eats.

Forest Whitaker – 80 Pounds

For his role as Idi Amin in 2006’s The Last King Of Scotland, Forest Whitaker’s large frame served him perfectly as the tyrannical former Ugandan president. It is said that he put on 70 pounds to play the character. He won an Oscar for his troubles, but after finishing the movie, he was determined to get back in shape.

Whitaker lost weight by adopting a vegetarian diet and also adding exercise to his routine. In terms of working out, he didn’t hit the gym as others did, opting for more lifestyle-oriented activities like hiking and martial arts. Over time, Whitaker lost more than he gained for playing Idi Amin.

Kathy Kinney – 50 Pounds

Kathy Kinney shot to fame for her role as Mimi Bobeck, an eccentric character from the classic sitcom The Drew Carrey Show. She also had roles in films like Arachnophobia and Lenny The Wonder Dog. But despite her success, she wasn’t happy with her body image and health.

So after the Drew Carrey Show ended, Kinney went on a weight-loss adventure that has seen her drop 50 pounds. Unlike Carrey, who underwent a rigorous exercise and diet regiment, Kinney became more recreationally active. She ate healthier and is now completely unrecognizable from her days as Mimi.

Janet Jackson – 70 Pounds

While Janet Jackson conditions herself to be lean and fit for her live performances, it’s not a straightforward process for the female pop queen. She has had issues with fluctuating weight for most of her life.

While Jackson always managed to keep her weight in check off with a healthy diet and exercise, her biggest challenge came in 2017 when she had to lose weight after her pregnancy. She dropped 70-pounds using a high-intensity workout regimen that involved just weights. Jackson worked out four days a week and did no cardio, and workouts were never shorter than 45-minutes or longer than an hour.

Vicky Pattison – 50 Pounds

Vicki Pattison is famous for being on the British reality show, Geordie Shore. The show follows the lives of 8-12 beautiful people from Newcastle, England, who have to live together and interact for a few weeks. She was pretty famous for her voluptuous figure, but she eventually opted for a change as her career in television took off.

She decided to change her lifestyle for health and fertility reasons, and the first thing she did was join WW (formerly known as weight watchers). Part of her changes involved cutting out, sugar, and junk food. She follows a regular exercise plan and often shares her workout process on social media.

Lauren Alaina – 25 Pounds

The runner up of American Idol season 10 had self-image issues since she was a teenager. As a result, she developed the binge and purge disorder known as bulimia. Alaina, a country singer who topped the charts with her first two singles, controlled her weight by forcing herself to vomit after eating.

But she realized her condition wasn’t helping her health and decided to take a more conventional route to weight loss. She started exercising and following a high protein, high carb diet via a food delivery service. In 2019, while participating in Dancing With The Stars, she revealed that she also lost 25 pounds thanks to her rehearsal efforts.

Jennifer Ellison – 42 Pounds

Jennifer Ellison is most famous for being in the British soap opera Brookside. As a trained dancer, you would think that she’d have no problem keeping the pounds off. But being pregnant always affected her weight. And after each of her three children, she gained pounds.

But she always lost weight after every childbirth, and with child number three, she chose a longer-term solution, setting a goal weight over two years. She started by going on the show Sugar-Free Farm, where celebrities live on a farm and try to survive with no sugar. She also hired a personal trainer after her time on the show.

Raven-Symoné – 70 Pounds

Raven-Symone is a renowned actress, singer, producer, and director who shot to fame in shows like Hanging With Mr. Cooper, and The Cosby Show. But she is probably best known for her Disney show called That’s So Raven. Throughout her career, Raven was told to lose weight, but she couldn’t, and didn’t understand why.

Then she took a break from Hollywood, took stock of her life, and determined that the cause of her weight problem was stress. Once she pinpointed, everything else fell into place. She started following a healthier eating plan, cut down on eating out, and started exercising, including activities like boxing and soccer in her physical regimen.

Beyoncé – 65 Pounds

You’d think that Queen Bey doesn’t need to worry about weight gain considering how fit and lean she looks during her live performances. But after giving birth to her set of twins in 2017, she had a race against time to get down to a suitable weight for her big performance at the Coachella Music Festival.

To achieve her goals, Beyonce implemented the Marco Borges 22 day Nutritional program. But instead of doing it once, she did it twice, back to back. This meant 44-days of no carbs, sugar, dairy, meat, and fish, along with an exercise regimen. She admitted to being hungry but was happy with her results.

Jennifer Gimenez – 100 Pounds

Jeniffer Giminez is a model and TV personality who became the sole provider for her family when she became a model at the age of 14. This led to undue pressure for her age, and ultimately to drug addiction. Although she was on and off again with addiction since the age of 21, it was only at the age of 29 that she finally kicked her habit.

But kicking her drug addiction led to weight gain since she relied on food to substitute the. The first thing she did was change her eating. She also took on an exercise regimen where she alternates days between resistance training and cardio.