America’s First Idol – a Liar?
After months of swallowing the truth, Kelly Clarkson’s secret is out. The slimmed-down singer-turned-TV host is taking weight loss drugs.
The Truth Comes Out
Now her legions of fans – and concerned public health experts – are asking: Why didn’t she just say that in the first place? Back in January, Clarkson gave a long-awaited interview to People magazine as speculation swirled over her staggering body transformation – shedding more than 60 pounds in a matter of months.
The Initial Story
She told the celebrity mag that her super-effective diet hack was simple: cutting carbs, eating more protein, walking and – uh – infrared saunas and cold plunges. Weeks later, Clarkson revealed that she’d been diagnosed as pre-diabetic. Her body was not sufficiently regulating blood glucose (blood sugar) and she was at risk of developing diabetes – a condition that affects nearly 40 million Americans and can lead to deadly heart and kidney damage.
The Consistency Issue
But in all of Clarkson’s public remarks, the implication was: Weight loss drugs?!? Never, not me. As a health editor, with nearly a decade of experience, I had my suspicions. Rapid, dramatic weight loss is very difficult for 42-year-old women with bodies that birthed two children – unless modern medicine helps tip the scale.
The Revelation
Low and behold, my intuition was spot on. On Clarkson’s talk show Monday, she told her guest Whoopi Goldberg that on the advice of her doctor, she had begun a course of weight loss medication. ‘My blood work got so bad,’ she confessed to Whoopi, who revealed she’s taking injectable medication to lose weight.
The Ozempic Connection
Indeed, there are other medicines in the same family as Ozempic that can reduce blood sugar and spark weight loss by suppressing appetite. A drug called metformin is prescribed to diabetes patients. Then there’s the other inconsistency in Clarkson’s story: That she was happy being overweight. ‘I never had a problem shutting people down and saying, "yeah, you know, that’s just what I’m rocking,"’ she said in a 2017 interview.
The Embarrassment
Insiders told DailyMail.com that Clarkson felt, ‘backed into a corner.’ ‘Kelly couldn’t keep up her charade any longer,’ the source said. ‘She knew she had to get honest or she was going to be exposed.’ Perhaps, Clarkson was also embarrassed by the fact that she was relying on a drug that cost $1,000 per month without a prescription. The star has also spoken about her struggle with depression – which comes with a litany of complications.
The Double Standard
But whatever the truth, it appears Clarkson hasn’t been completely forthcoming. And she’s not the first. Longtime yo-yo dieter Oprah Winfrey was met with outrage in December after she admitted taking weight loss medication, having dismissed the drug as, ‘the easy way out’ just three months earlier.
The Influencer Effect
My celebrity insiders tell me secretive use of the shots is rife among Hollywood royalty…but no one talks about it. But Clarkson, Oprah and the others must recognize how dangerous their dissembling can be for their admirers. In my early 20s, I religiously followed the nutrition advice of wellness influencers and celebrities.
The Dark Side of Weight Loss
Looking back now, it’s no surprise that two of my cherished influencers admitted to suffering from eating disorders just a year later. The nutrition plans that I’d been following were written at the height of their mind-warping disease. Lying about taking a weight loss drug is not the same thing. But it does mislead devoted fans and impressionable women of all ages into thinking that dramatic weight loss is normal and easy.
Conclusion
Be honest about your health journeys because your fans are watching – and, likely, taking notes. There are no shortcuts in life, and even medication comes with dark downsides. Clinical trials show around half of weight loss drug users experience at least one complication. If you’re lucky, it’ll be nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. For the unlucky, it’s suicidal thoughts, thyroid cancer and gastroparesis – an agonizing and potentially life-threatening condition where the stomach becomes paralyzed.
FAQs
- What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes by helping the body to reduce blood sugar levels. - Is Ozempic a weight loss drug?
Ozempic is primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes, but it can also be used to aid in weight loss as a side effect. - Is Ozempic safe?
Ozempic has been shown to have a range of side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. More serious side effects include suicidal thoughts, thyroid cancer, and gastroparesis. - Can Ozempic be used for long-term weight loss?
Recent studies suggest that Ozempic may not be effective for long-term weight loss, with only a 10% weight loss being achieved after four years of use.
