10 Stars Who Lost More than 20 Pounds and How They Did It

Known for his work in American History X, Blow, Remember the Titans, John Q, The Wolf of Wall Street, several of Kevin Smith's films—as well as Boy Meets World and My Name Is Earl—Ethan Suplee has always had a booming career. The award-nominated actor achieved great success professionally, but personally was fighting a private battle--addiction. The 47-year-old has dealt with heroin, alcohol, and food issues, and was told by doctors he was going to die.

"There have been countless mornings that I’ve woken up, as though startled by a terrifying nightmare, with the need for change," he told Celebwell. "The idea that change was needed came frequently but was also frequently forgotten. There would be some effort put into actually changing, but for a long time, I was easily moved off of that path." He adds, "Eventually, I was able to hold onto it long enough to make some progress, and when I’d lose grasp of it, I wouldn’t slide all the way back to the starting line or further."

After going to rehab several times, Suplee was able to overcome his drug addiction and get sober, but knew he also had more work to do. "With regard to my weight, the change occurred in 2002," he explains. "I had gone through much the same thing with sobriety and finally got a decent grasp on that in 2001, and with sober eyes, I was then able to confront the next hurdle, my weight." He adds, "I began dieting, of my own volition in 2002. I got down to 280 pounds, then went back up to 400+. Then I got down to 220 and went back up to 400." For the last 20 years, the father of four has fought to change his complicated relationship with food, losing over 200 pounds and totally transforming physically.

In an exclusive interview with Celebwell, Suplee reveals what led to his weight loss and how he helps others with the same struggles on his podcast American Glutton. "I am very interested in having conversations about both people’s problems and solutions in regards to health, fitness, and weight and get to do that each week." Read on.

1. He Stopped Eating in Secret

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Suplee’s unhealthy relationship with food started when he was just 5-years-old. His grandparents began limiting his food because they were “shocked” by his weight and he learned that if he wanted a second helping at dinner, he had to do it quickly without them seeing him. This led to a fear of people seeing him eat and would binge meals in private. "I didn’t like people to see me eating, so I ate very quickly," he shares. "I also found that some euphoria accompanied binge eating, I thoroughly enjoyed that. So I no longer eat in secret and no longer overeat, this is a difficult thing to learn because for so many years I trampled over my body’s satiety cues." He continues, "I’m not totally sure I’m entirely aware of them even today. I can tell when I’m hungry, but not really when I’ve eaten enough. I had to learn what a proper meal was for my body, and stick generally to that, not eat it so quickly that anyone I’m eating with still has food on their plates, which leaves me wanting to fill mine again because sitting and watching people eat while not eating also makes me uncomfortable."

2. He Changed His Mindset About Eating

"I used to think of a diet as though it held all the secrets to the universe, that I could achieve some zen state of happiness and normalcy through dieting," he tells us. "Having set so many arbitrary numerical goals, achieved them, and felt no mental or spiritual relief from the very same madness I’d felt at my heaviest, I’ve learned to set my expectations a bit lower for what weight loss can provide."

Instead of trying to stick to various diets, Suplee now adopts a healthy lifestyle. "Also, dieting won’t keep the weight off, so if I want both those things, knowing that’s absolutely all I’ll get out of it, my entire life needs restructuring. Dieting is a tool to reduce body fat, and nothing more."

3. He Did Keto But Stopped

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Suplee tried Keto for a while, but stopped because "it didn't seem right." He shares, "In 2017 my wife Brandy, who had never encouraged me to diet was upset because I had to have what would’ve been an outpatient procedure (ruptured distal biceps tendon repair, caused by a fight scene in a show I was filming at the time called Chance), in a hospital. They told her that I had to have it done in a hospital because of my weight." For health concerns, Suplee's wife wanted him to make changes. "She said she didn’t care what I weighed, but she wanted me under the number that separated outpatient and hospitalization… so I started doing keto again, and despite sticking to it exactly, I wasn’t losing weight (although I had lost weight on keto in the past), so I started doing the keto “hunger” diet - Keto, but just never felt full. I started losing weight… but it didn’t seem right."

4. He Started Eating Carbs Again and Began Losing Weight

After not having success on Keto, Suplee switched up his diet. "I decided to look into what all the macronutrients were doing to my body exactly," he says. "Allowing myself to eat carbohydrates again after a long period of believing they were poisonous, was pretty scary, but as long as I stayed in a mild caloric deficit, I steadily lost weight. I have maintained (aside from getting very lean once for a photo shoot and once for a movie) my weight for the past 5 years."

5. He Doesn't Eat Processed Foods

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Suplee has now learned what works for him and shares what he typically eats. "My diet is protein-focused, with the remainder of my daily food allotment in carbohydrates and fats that I consume at my own discretion," he explains. "I try not to eat too many processed foods, mostly because I find I don’t get much bang for my buck with them, I can easily overeat them and I am often hungrier faster after eating them. I try to take in more omega 3’s than omega 6 with my ancillary fats, these would be the fats I eat above and beyond whatever fats are commingled naturally with the protein I’m eating."

6. He Works Out Six Days a Week

As you can see from his Instagram posts, Suplee hits the gym hard but gives himself a day off each week. "On Sundays, I generally don’t go to the gym, so I will usually up my fats and reduce my carbohydrates," he says. "When I work out first thing in the morning, the meal that follows the gym usually has the majority of my day’s carbohydrates in it." He adds, "I try and get to the gym 6 days a week, all my exercise will be on a 5-6 week progressive overload schedule, week one being the easiest, week 5 or 6 is really tough, heavier, more reps, more sets, even my cardio will increase, week one will usually be 30 minutes a day, week 6 will be nearly an hour."

7. How Losing Weight Changed His Life, But Didn't Solve All His Problems

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Suplee has worked hard to completely transform his body and conquer many issues, but losing weight didn't solve all of life's problems. "My knees hurt less, I’m more active, have better energy, and the problem of my weight, which I viewed the entirety of my life through, has waned quite a bit," he says. "I’d expected all the other difficulties of life to disappear because I looked at them as though they were all caused by my weight. This wasn’t the case, and now I am able to actively tackle them with intention, instead of just thinking the one issue of losing weight would solve the rest." He concludes, "Though losing weight doesn’t solve everything, I did find it a good starting point, so I am at least able to tackle life with a healthy body, rather than being slowed by focusing on needless health issues that were resolved simply by losing weight."

Elon Musk is revealing how he lost 20 pounds since July 2022, after years of struggling with his weight. The world’s richest man has been practicing intermittent fasting using an app called Zero, and credits the new lifestyle with helping him feel better than he has for a long time. While fasting is commonly used as a method of weight loss, it can also offer other health benefits. So how exactly does intermittent fasting work, and is it suitable for everyone? Here’s what the experts have to say.

1. Musk Fasts Periodically

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Musk, 51, opened up about his fasting regimen in a Twitter thread discussing his weight loss. When asked about how much weight he’s lost, Musk said, “Over 20 lbs down from my (unhealthy) peak weight. The Zero fasting app is quite good. On advice of a good friend, I’ve been fasting periodically & feel healthier. From time to time, I will share some things that seem to be working for me, in case you find it helpful.”

2. What Exactly Is Intermittent Fasting?

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Intermittent fasting is a plan for eating only during specific times. According to UCLA, there are three main ways to practise intermittent fasting:

• Alternate day fasting includes normal eating every other day, with days of restricted eating (500 calories) in between.
• Daily time-restricted eating limits eating to one period (typically six to eight hours) each day. The rest of the time, you’re fasting.
• 5:2 approach involves normal eating five days a week, but limiting yourself to 500 to 600 calories for two non-consecutive days.

So how exactly does it work? “Between meals, as long as we don’t snack, our insulin levels will go down and our fat cells can then release their stored sugar, to be used as energy,” says Harvard Health. “We lose weight if we let our insulin levels go down. The entire idea of IF is to allow the insulin levels to go down far enough and for long enough that we burn off our fat.”

3. Benefits Beyond Weight Loss

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Fasting has been shown to not only help with weight loss, but also with cellular renewal (autophagy) and possible disease prevention. “In addition to reduced body weight, this fasting can help lower cholesterol, improve glucose control, reduce liver fat and improve blood pressure,” says dietitian Sue Ryskamp. “Patients tell me they have increased endurance, better motor coordination and improved sleep. Eating according to your circadian rhythm (eat day/sleep night) helps promote deep sleep. Studies have also shown that fasting, which leads to caloric restriction, increases the lifespan of even healthy people. Studies also suggest that fasting may reduce tumor growth and could help prevent recurrences of breast cancer.”

4. Who Shouldn’t Fast?

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“Intermittent fasting is safe for many people, but it's not for everyone,” says Manpreet Mundi, MD. “Skipping meals may not be the best way to manage your weight if you're pregnant or breast-feeding. If you have kidney stones, gastroesophageal reflux, diabetes or other medical problems, talk with your doctor before starting intermittent fasting.”

5. Fasting Apps

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While you don’t need an app to fast, some people find it useful to have a method of accountability while losing weight. “Clinicians must become aware of these tools and support our patients in their use, since they are a great way to start moving the needle on the awareness and education needed to produce lifestyle changes,” says Kamal Jethwani, MD, MPH. “Motivated patients will achieve great results, while other patients may stop using them, but will definitely gain better insights into their lifestyles.”

Carnie Wilson is showing off her weight loss. In a new social media post the former Wilson Phillips singer looks incredibly svelte. “Another before and ‘during’ ... my health journey! This is 40 pounds down. I feel really different,” she captioned the set of photos. How is she getting in shape? Here is everything you need to know about her weight loss journey.

1. She Is Dieting: No Gluten, Sugar, or Butter

“Knowing that I did this PURELY through diet - no gluten or sugar, no butter and keeping fats down too,” Wilson continues. “Lately I have indulged in cheese and nuts which have more fat. If I chose not to eat corn tortillas, nuts and cheese - there's no way I could keep this up.”

2. She Plans on “Exercising More”

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Carnie revealed that up until now she hasn’t been working out very much. “I need to start exercising more to make the scale start to move again, but I'm so proud and pumped,” she writes in the caption.

3. It’s a “Miracle

“I have totally adjusted my eating habits to satisfy my cravings but in a realistic way. And it's a miracle,” she continues. “Hope this inspires someone.”

4. Subhead Goes Right Here

In February, Carnie elaborated on why she decided to embark on a weight loss journey. “My body started rejecting gluten and sugar ... and with my blood sugars at a six ... cholesterol at 225 I was not heading in a good direction,”she wrote on Instagram. “I had a pain in my tummy and had an ultrasound to be sure I had no gallstones. Luckily, I did not. I was too scared to give up the food that I thought was bringing me comfort.”

5. Her Weight Loss Journey Is “An Act of Self Love”

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“I know there are many ways to lose weight quicker, but it comes down to calories in versus calories expended,” she continued. “For me, this was an act of self love ... knowing which food made me feel like shit and also knowing I can't eat it. The result has been weight loss, more energy, feeling more positive, hopeful, in control and confident. I'm not counting calories or going too cray cray with the scale.”

6. Her Goal Is 155 Pounds

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She added that she planned to “reach a physical goal of 155 pounds.” “It's hard sometimes because Lord knows I wanna cram it in my mouth!!! I know how I will feel if I do though — and that's what stops me,” she said. “Thank you for such loving and encouraging words the last five months! It means so much to me!!!!”

With a career spanning six decades, Marie Osmond became a household name at a young age. At 13 her debut single “Paper Roses” reached the #1 spot on two Billboard charts, and at 16 she starred in a hit variety show with her brother Donny. A few years later she won a CMA award when she was just 27 and she became a multiple gold and platinum-selling artist. Her career has soared from the time she was a toddler and the legendary TV entertainer went on to do everything from talk show host to author, actor, Broadway performer, entrepreneur, and public speaker. While the mother of eight achieved great professional success, she battled a not-so-private issue--her weight. "I was my heaviest in 2007," Osmond tells us.

That's when she turned to Nutrisystem, a life-changing program that helped her lose 50 pounds. "I’m 63 and I’m living my absolute best life right now," she says. "I know who I am. I’ve been through the crazy stuff. I have experienced heartache. Today, I’m at a place where I can say I feel great – both mentally and physically." Osmond is really happy with where she is regarding her weight loss journey and shares, "Honestly, I don’t have a 20-year-old body, but I certainly don’t have a 63-year-old body, either! And I believe the more you take care of yourself, the more your body takes care of you." In an exclusive interview, Osmond reveals how she lost the weight and kept it off, why she will never put on excess pounds again, and what's always in her fridge.

1. "Weight Can Age You"

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Not only can extra pounds lead to serious health issues like stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, and more, but Osmond explains how being overweight can affect all areas of your life, which is why she will always work hard at making healthy decisions. "Weight can age you and make you feel even older than you really are! It also takes away the joy of being active in your own life, as well as with your children and grandchildren," she says. "It not only destroys your health, but it also affects your mental health, too. And when you hear the world saying, ‘Love me however I am,’ I think you need to love yourself enough to be the best version of yourself, so that you can live your fullest, most beautiful life. That’s why I have continued living this healthy lifestyle."

2. She Couldn't Have the Life She Has Now 50 Pounds Heavier

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Osmond has a busy life professionally and personally. She has multiple grandkids she spends a lot of time with and loves traveling with her husband. She admits if she was heavier, she couldn't enjoy her active lifestyle. "I would never go back to where I was 50 pounds overweight," she states. "My last album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard. I never could have done that without the health and energy I have now. I never could have endured the demands of a grueling tour." She shares, "Recently, I went to Disney World with my eight grandchildren and my 23-year-old son said, ‘Mom, let’s shut down the park.’ I never could have done that with 50 pounds on me!"

3. Six Foods She Always Has in the Fridge

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It's easier to eat right when you stock your fridge with healthy options and Osmond shares her top six go-tos she always has on hand.

--"I am a big fan of grilled chicken because it’s packed with protein to keep me feeling full. I usually try to have a protein like chicken for lunch so it helps me get past that dreaded afternoon slump.

--Chopped veggies like cucumbers, peppers, and carrots are always in my fridge. These are so easy to throw in salads or eat as a side for any meal. I also make sure they are already cut and in clear containers so I can see them easily. It’s like they’re screaming, 'Eat me!'

--Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits. They’re low in calories, but full of nutrients like vitamin C and potassium.

--Spinach is another favorite. It’s low in calories, but big in flavor and nutrients. I love how you can use it as a base for a salad, sauté it as a side for dinner, or throw it in the blender as an addition to a smoothie. It’s a must-have for me.

–I always have lemons on hand. I love the flavor and will cut them up and add them to my water. It’s so refreshing.

--I love the convenience of my Nutrisystem shakes that I blend with ice to create a frosty chocolate treat."

4. She Learned Portion Control

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One important takeaway Osmond has learned from her program that's helped her keep the weight off is portion control. "Thanks to Nutrisystem, I learned, for the first time in my life, that food was not the enemy," she shares. "I learned what a proper portion size looked like. I learned that you could enjoy food and live healthily." She adds, "Most importantly, I learned that I need to eat multiple times throughout the day. By doing that, I allow myself to have more energy."

5. Her Mindset About Dieting Has Changed

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Dieting can be harmful because the mindset doesn't teach healthy habits, so Osmond instead focuses on positive lifestyle choices. "The minute you think ‘dieting,’ you think, ‘Oh, I can’t have this,’ and it becomes restrictive," she explains. "That’s not what living a healthy life is about. I believe in moderation of all things. I believe in having a healthy relationship with food – you can eat what you love in moderation and still make healthy choices." Osmond adds.

6. Nutrisystem Was a Big Lesson

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Osmond learned to incorporate healthy choices into her daily life and credits the program for helping her do so. "Nutrisystem wasn’t just another diet, it was a lifestyle change," she says. "The lessons they taught me have stayed with me. As I get older, I may fluctuate from time to time, but when I see myself starting to gain weight, I will start eating healthier using the tools and tricks Nutrisystem taught me."

7. She Works Out

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In addition to eating healthy, Osmond "loves to be active." She tells us, "My year-round favorite is walking and listening to audiobooks. I love to read so by making it a part of my exercise, it’s how I get my steps in." She continues, "My husband, Steve and I love to hike and explore. I’m also checking things off my bucket list. I just went ziplining over a waterfall and I went skydiving. I actually jumped! It was the most exhilarating experience of my life."