By
Hugh C. McBride
She is a media mogul, a multimillionaire, and one of America's most powerful and respected individuals. But when Oprah Winfrey talks about her struggles with weight, she sounds less like a superstar and more like just another frustrated dieter:
"I'm mad at myself," she wrote in an essay that is slated to appear in the January 2009 issue of her O magazine. "I'm embarrassed ... I can't believe that after all these years, all the things I know how to do, I'm still talking about my weight. I look at my thinner self and think, 'How did I let this happen again?'"
Lose, Gain, Repeat
Twenty years ago, Winfrey made headlines by walking onstage for a taping of her show wearing size 10 Calvin Klein jeans - and pushing a wheelbarrow filled with 67 pounds of fat (equal to the amount she had recently shed).
Over the ensuing two decades, she partnered with an exercise physiologist and personal trainer (Bob Greene), completed a marathon (Marine Corps Marathon, 1994), and struggled with a thyroid condition that affected her metabolism and energy level. Her weight rose to 237 pounds, fell to 160 pounds, and rose again. In the past year alone, she reported in her recent essay, she gained 40 pounds, bringing her current weight to an even (and, to her, unacceptable) 200 pounds.
From shopping for a dress to wear at Barack Obama's inauguration to appearing alongside Cher and Tina Turner, Winfrey wrote that she experienced a series of weight-related embarrassments in 2008. And the terms she used are likely to be uncomfortably familiar to many who have endured similar frustrations about their weight and self-image.
"I felt like a fat cow," Winfrey wrote about the Cher/Turner show. "I wanted to disappear."
If Oprah Can't Do It, How Can I?
To individuals who have worked to maintain a significant weight loss, or for those who are at the beginning of their journey toward a healthier lifestyle, Oprah Winfrey's story is likely to engender two emotions: empathy and fear.
On her blog Feed Me!, writer and journalism professor Harriet Brown wrote what many are probably thinking: "If Oprah Winfrey, with all her money and personal chef and personal trainer, can't keep the weight off, who can?"
The answer to that question? You can. (Oprah can, too. If what she has written and said are indicative of her mindset, she's not even thinking about giving up. Neither should you.)
Think 'Healthy,' Not 'Skinny'
Though Winfrey's 1988 Calvin Klein-clad appearance looked like a success at the time, in retrospect it is clearly the result of an almost textbook example of what not to do.
For example, she "achieved" her new slim look by following a crash diet plan that deprived her body of essential nutrients. "I had literally starved myself for four months - not a morsel of food," she recalled in 2005. "Two hours after that show, I started eating to celebrate - of course, within two days those jeans no longer fit!"
As with most fad diets and unrealistic weight loss plans, Winfrey's initial "lose at all costs" effort endangered her health and almost guaranteed that any successes would be short-lived. And even though she has been able to avail herself of considerable professional assistance in the years that would follow, her continued frustrations demonstrate that losing weight isn't merely a matter of wanting to be thin - it's about doing what it takes to get (and stay) at your ideal weight.
As Oprah acknowledges in her essay, she let a hectic schedule and a series of stresses distract her from pursuing her health goals. "I didn't follow my own fundamental rule of taking care of self first," she wrote.
Lessons to Learn
As her public admission of her personal setbacks indicates, Oprah shows no interest in abandoning her efforts - if anything, she appears to be as energized as ever about pursuing a healthy lifestyle. The following tips have helped her - and can help you - find sustained success:
1. Go slow - Most experts advise that you shouldn't lose more than two pounds per week, or more than 10 percent of your body weight in less than six months. In other words, an individual who weighs 250 pounds should set a six-month goal of losing 25 pounds, or just over a pound a week. This "slow and steady" approach allows you to emphasize nutrition over starvation, and gives your body time to adjust to the changes it is experiencing. When Oprah tried to starve herself thin, she was violating this essential tenet.
2. Get moving - A healthy weight loss plan involves two essential components: a nutritious diet and an appropriate amount of exercise. The benefits of exercise are numerous and extend far beyond matters of weight - making a habit of regular activity can give a significant boost to the quality of your life. Even sedentary adults can find an exercise plan that fits their needs, though anyone who hasn't been active for a while should consult a health care provider before beginning to work out. Oprah got help from a fitness adviser, and her exercise regimen took her to the finish line of the Marine Corps Marathon.
3. Set goals - You wouldn't set out on a vacation trip without having a destination in mind, so why would you expect to get healthy without planning your route (and establishing what "success" looks like)? Setting both short- and long-term goals will enable you to chart your progress, keep yourself focused, and give you a series of interim successes to celebrate. As Oprah wrote in the December 2003 issue of her magazine, "Every time you state what you want or believe, you're the first to hear it. It's a message to both you and others about what you think is possible." To increase your odds of success, make sure that your objectives are realistic, achievable, and measurable.
4. Stay positive - To continue our "road trip" motif, you wouldn't abandon your vacation plans just because you encountered a traffic jam or needed to take a detour to get where you wanted to be, so don't let any setbacks or slowdowns shake your faith in your ability to achieve your health objectives. Having solid goals (and recording your progress) can come in handy here, giving you the opportunity to put temporary setbacks in proper perspective alongside the progress you've been making. As Oprah told ABC News on Dec. 10, "Part of getting back on track is you have to accept where you are right now in order to move forward."
5. Get help - Ultimately, your ability to lose weight and maintain your losses will depend upon your focus, your efforts, and your body (remember that biology does play a role). But that doesn't mean you should attempt to "go it alone." Find an exercise partner, join a weight-loss support group, participate in an online community, or enlist the assistance of a trusted friend or family member. Having someone to celebrate with will make your successes that much sweeter, and being able to voice your fears and frustrations to someone you trust can help dissipate any emotional obstacles.
Finally, don't ever forget to look at the "big picture" and realize how every one of your experiences (even the negative ones) can bring you that much closer to becoming the person you want to be. As Oprah wrote in the September 2002 issue of O, "The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance - and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning."