Nowadays, whenever a celebrity loses weight, the Ozempic rumors start flying—but the popular medication isn't always responsible for these transformations.
In a recent interview with PEOPLE , Kathy Bates opened up about losing 100 pounds over the past seven years, and while Ozempic did end up playing a role in the process, it was more about "hard work."
“There’s been a lot of talk that I just was able to do this because of Ozempic,” the 76-year-old actress said. “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.”
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According to Bates, she lost the first 80 pounds through lifestyle changes alone, dropping the last 20 after starting the weight loss drug. As the star of the upcoming Matlock reboot explained, she finally decided to commit to improving her health after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes around 2017.
“I ate because I was afraid, and I ate because it was a FU to my self-esteem,” she said. “[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."
Related: Kathy Bates Shares Rare Health Update After Drastic Weight Loss Journey
Bates credited her niece with giving her one super helpful tip for modifying her eating habits.
"When we’re full, we experience an involuntary sigh,” she said. “I just pushed the plate away.”
“I used to eat terribly: burgers and Cokes and pizza,” she continued. But even if she mostly stays away from junk food now, that doesn't mean she won't occasionally treat herself.
“We’ve been having trucks come to the lot over at Paramount to thank the crew, and yesterday we had Pink’s Hot Dogs,” she said. “Oh, my God, I hadn’t had a hot dog in such a long time. Today I’m getting back on my track."
One of the best things about her weight loss is that it's "coincided beautifully" with the filming of Matlock, she added .
“Physically, I’m capable of doing this show,” she said. “I don’t have to sit down. I can stand up all day long and walk and move and breathe and do so many things that I couldn’t before.”
Next: Kathy Bates Talks Candidly About Why She Almost Quit Acting and Wishing She Were a Man in Hollywood
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