Kathy Bates Reveals How She Lost 100 Pounds, Clarifies Ozempic Use Comments

Kathy Bates has lost over 100 pounds over the last seven years, and the actress is opening up about how she did it while also setting the record straight on her use of Ozempic.

Over the last seven years, Bates lost 80 pounds by adjusting her diet and making some lifestyle changes, and then lost an additional 20 pounds with Ozempic. She tells PEOPLE , "There's been a lot of talk that I just was able to do this because of Ozempic. But I have to impress upon people out there that this was hard work for me, especially during the pandemic. It’s very hard to say you’ve had enough.”

Bates started her journey to a healthier self in 2017 after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The Matlock actress shared that she "used to eat terribly: burgers and Cokes and pizza," and explained of her relationship with food, "I ate because I was afraid, and I ate because it was a FU to my self-esteem. [Diabetes] runs in my family, and I'd seen what my father had gone through. He had had a leg amputation. One of my sisters is dealing with it very seriously, and it terrified me. It scared me straight."

In addition to changing her diet, Bates makes sure she gets moving by using a treadmill she has at her home, and is also interested in other forms of exercise like pilates. "I have a treadmill here at the house, and I might try Pilates," she told PEOPLE . "People always ask, 'Don't you want a trainer?' No, I really don't. I don't want anybody over my shoulder. It's just very important to me to keep this going. I don't want to slip."