Oprah: "I'm Mad At Myself, I'm Embarrassed" Over Weight Gain

CHICAGO — An embarrassed Oprah Winfrey says she's "fallen off the wagon" of healthy living and has ballooned to 200 pounds.

In January's "O" magazine, Winfrey, 54, details her recent struggles with an out-of-balance thyroid and how the condition made her develop "a fear of working out." She says she's gained 40 pounds since 2006, when she weighed 160.

"I look at my thinner self and think, `How did I let this happen again?'" the talk-show queen says in the article provided early to The Associated Press by Harpo Productions.

"I'm embarrassed," she says. "I'm mad at myself."

Winfrey's weight and height put her body mass index at 31.8, which is obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says people who are obese are at higher risk for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Winfrey says she's abandoned trying to get thin. She just wants to be strong, healthy and fit. She hopes to get started with her upcoming "Best Life Week," starting Jan. 5 with an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" during which she is expected to talk candidly about her weight.

Winfrey famously wheeled a wagon loaded with fat onto the set of her talk show in 1988 to represent a 67-pound weight loss while wearing a pair of size 10 Calvin Klein jeans. She had lost the weight with a liquid protein diet.

"When it comes to maintaining my health I didn't just fall off the wagon. I let the wagon fall on me," the chairwoman of Harpo Inc. writes. "I didn't follow my own fundamental rule of taking care of self first."

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In 2005, Winfrey said she starved herself for four months to lose weight. Ever since, her weight has yo-yoed. She weighed as much as 237 pounds and by late 1990 acknowledged she had regained most of the 67 pounds, saying "I'll never diet again."

In 1993, she hired personal trainer Bob Greene and the next year finished the Marine Corps Marathon. By 1996 she said her roller-coaster weight saga was over.

But now, Winfrey finds herself tipping the scales again, telling AP Television last week that she has yet to choose a gown for President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural ball next month.

"I had a dress on the vision board, but I'm not sure that's gonna fit," Winfrey said. "So I have to work on something else."

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On the Net:

http://www.oprah.com

Comments

[Mildmannered]

well this just proves that she is human like the rest of us, and not a 100% superwoman. If it were just a matter of appearance and not health, I would say "who cares". But it is a serious health issue. (I also am battling the lbs.) I know that with this public pressure she will lose the weight, and my guess is keep it off. I wish her, me and the rest of us the best of luck in losing weight and becoming fit. For the most part, it is just a matter of coming up with a plan and sticking to it. Decrease calories and increase exercise. Decrease calories and increase exercise. Keep a diary of what, how much and when you eat. And go for a brisk walk at least five times a week.

[Paprikapink]

Oprah! Stop it. You're beautiful -- gorgeous, fabulous, magnificent. Don't be any different than you are and don't beat yourself up for not being something that's just a phantom. Your size is not a matter of self-control, or greed, or laziness. We'll never be healthy when we're telling ourselves crap like that. We don't criticize people with allergies for having runny noses. We don't condemn people who need glasses. The foods we crave are our responses to our body's nutritional deficiencies and imbalances, not to mention just being hungry. I'm just y'know, a person who eats, but I'm really convinced that our dependence on simple carbs has created a nation of addicts, all loathing ourselves for not having control of our dependency. We've learned better about cigarettes, heroin, cocaine, alcohol -- you can't just decide to quit and be done with it (okay, some people do, but they are the exceptional exception; we should put them in labs and study them). Cravings are a true physical drive that we don't have as much control over as we imagine. I don't believe this thinking that it means that we can't control our health and we are all just doomed to be fat and diabetic. I think that when we accept that it's an addiction we can finally respond appropriately and really care for ourselves.

[nellie]

Oprah, 4 words:

Lay off the starch.

It really works. Eat lots of veggies instead.

[MDUB1969]

Oprah is a great woman whose accomplished some amazing things, but she's flesh and bone. More flesh than bone, at this point. But really...why is she required to speak out about how embarrassed she is? I think this need to "apologize" for oneself, or make excuses for why she gained weight in the first place (bad relationships, abuse, some history with drugs, etc.), just does all of us women a disservice. Oprah has some real demons - one of which is the loss of a baby that was born out of her rape when she was a teen. This is a big thing that she has still refused to acknowledge publicly and that is the kind of stuff that will eat at someone and subsequently drive them to further self-destructive behavior (over-eating, for example). It's no coincidence this woman is constantly promoting different aspects of the self-help culture.

Hopefully one day, it will again be acceptable for women to be curvy, fuller-figured and soft without feeling the need to explain, defend or constantly berate themselves.

[alphabet99]

she has publicly spoken about her "real demons", psychiatrist mdub1969. still, it's not as if someone publicly acknowledging such things would be automatically helpful to them.

[MDUB1969]

alhpabet - I am not a psychiatrist, but I am a woman who has lost more than one child and battled my own weight as well. In fact, every woman I know - no matter how thin - struggles with her weight. However, I appreciate the snide remark. I don't know what, exactly, her demons are, but my point is that she doesn't need to apologize for or explain to anyone her trouble with her weight. When is the last time any man has said, on the cover of a magazine, that he is embarrassed about his weight? Regardless of her personal struggles - whatever they may be - Oprah owes no one an explanation or apology. She clearly has demons, and my guess is that those demons have more to do with her yo-yo-ing weight than her thyroid does. That, of course, IMHO.

[barackobama4prez]

I have struggled with my weight since i was teen and over 20 years now. If you fall off the wagon, just get back up and try again. She definitely should lose it slowly through good diet and exercise.

[mimirip]

The one thing that still alludes Oprah...control over food. She's worth 2 billion but she just can't keep those Twinkies out of the pantry. Kind of like Madonna...she can have everything, but she'll never be able to act. Just goes to show, no matter who you are, you can't have it all.

[Kahoneez]

Embrace your inner fat girl, girl , be yourself and make another show out of your weight . Wheel out that FAT in a wheel barrel like the last time , that was great entertainment and dont worry ,we don't expect you to lose weight ,any more than cheech and chong putting away the bong .

But with personal trainers , personal chefs , personal mail getters , personal nail clippers , personal personals , it doesn't bode we'll for the rest of us common folk , trying to lose weight .

[HC4BO]

Thickety Thicke ...

You looking good mama ...

[Marie9]

Another thing, about your dress, you have the resources to get any type of dress you would like, made to order that would look great! Just go for it!

[larazon]

Oprah has reached menopause and doesn't know what hit her?

[SadieGirl]

You've got that right. Menopause and an underactive thyroid - guaranteed 20-30 pounds. Been there, done that. Trying to climb my way out too.

[Marie9]

Opah, we all would like to be thinner, however, is it necessary. I think your new idea of being healthy and happy is the best idea.

Anyway, you look better with a bit more weight -- as long as your health is okay; then enjoy being voluptuous most men like that better anyway. Be happy and don't worry! Most of all forget about being ashame, you have accomplished so much and helped so many people just enjoy the life God has given you!

We all love you any way you are!

[liriope]

Oprah is just like the rest of us. No matter that she has doctors, advisors, chefs, personal trainers, and a myriad of experts at her disposal, the bottom line is that she is human...she has to get back on the proverbial horse like everyone else. I know that she will do this, but I am impressed that her goal is no longer to be thin but to be strong and healthy. Even at two hundred pounds, she looks great. It is difficult for most of us to deal with body image and the expectations of those images from the media, but Oprah has many additional burdens. With so many eyes upon her, she puts additional pressure on herself. I wish that she could not feel embarrassed but proud of her accomplishments. If she is disappointed in her weight gain, I am sure she will do what is necessary and trim back down again. I have the utmost admiration for Oprah...no matter her weight.

[NotMcCain]

I admire and respect Oprah, too.

But no one looks and feels her best at 200 pounds. She's right to know that she needs to change.

I think it's great that she admts its BAD HABITS that contribute to the problem. Not just...age...menopause...throid.....etc. In this case, she KNOWS.....

[MissElaineous]

She's 54. She's always been heavy. She's also a great dresser, interesting, smart and well-to-do. She can tell the world to just go shove it and just be happy.

Its hard, but once you pass a certain age, you're going to need the extra weight in case you get really sick.

[Marionnyc]

Oprah needs to keep it simple and follow rules. She needs to have a nutritionist/cook prepare healthy delicious food that is also low glycemic index to help keep her cravings in check AND she needs to exercise but not over exercise every day. She should start with a healing cleansing fast but a liquid diet won't do it because she's already been there and it doesn't change how you deal with food in real life. My husband lost fifty pounds (and is still losing) over the last five months. How? I now cook him delicious low-fat lunches and dinners. We rarely eat at restaurants any more. He follows weight watchers point system more or less. I control what comes into the house and we both work out regularly with a lot of walking, but we haven't become fanatic. I've also lost about 20 pounds. We're eating better food than ever, enjoying it completely AND we feel great. We don't eat artificial sweeteners or crap. Oprah, I could use a career switch and I'm a great cook -- but honey, lose the meat and the sweets!

[HelenBach]

Oprah honey, drop The Secret and all the touchy-feely new age b.s. and go get some good old-fashioned psychotherapy to deal with being molested as a child. It's not your fault.

and, by the way, you are fantastic at any weight.

and if you had multiple sclerosis or cancer, you would have a different perspective. You'd be happy to have a body that works well and is healthy, no matter how much that house- for -your -soul weighs

[MagisterLudi]

"It's not your fault."
Speaking of new age bs--Yes it IS her fault. For her in-abilty to stop stuffing her mouth.

[PeanutButterJellyGirl]

Mag - I think you missed the point of what Helen is saying. She's saying that Oprah will never be able to control her eating if she doesn't work through being molested as a young girl. It is not her fault that she has emotional control issues connected to food. It's very common for women who have been abused to deal with control issues and emotional issues through food. It doesn't matter if you're over eating or starving yourself to death it's often linked to some traumatic event.