The Ultimate Guide to Lizzo Weight Loss

Lizzo weight loss has been one of the most talked-about celebrity health stories of the past two years. Here's a quick summary of the key facts:

Lizzo — born Melissa Jefferson, Grammy-winning singer and longtime body positivity advocate — didn't set out to lose weight. She set out to survive a dark season.

What followed was an honest, messy, deeply human journey. One that touches on mental health, cultural shifts in body positivity, the Ozempic boom, and what it means to change your body when the world has celebrated you for your body.

This guide breaks it all down — clearly and without judgment.

At Edible L.A., we’ve followed Lizzo’s career from her early days in the Minneapolis scene to her global superstardom. She has always been a force of nature, but the lizzo weight loss journey we’ve witnessed recently is perhaps her most personal performance yet.

The story truly began in the fall of 2023. This wasn't a New Year's resolution or a calculated brand pivot. It was a survival mechanism. Following the high-profile scandal involving lawsuits from former dancers, Lizzo found herself in a state of severe depression. While in the past she might have turned to food for comfort, this time, she turned to movement.

By January 2024, she officially launched what would become a year-long fitness intensive. She began posting snippets of her workouts, showing the grit behind the "Good as Hell" exterior. Throughout 2024, the transformation became visible. By March 2024, she told the public she was losing weight "very slowly" and methodically.

The results were staggering. By the time we reached January 2025, Lizzo took to Instagram to celebrate a massive milestone: reaching her "weight release goal." She revealed that she hadn't seen the number on her scale since 2014. In total, she has lost over 60 pounds and reduced her body fat by 16%.

We can't talk about Lizzo's physical change without talking about her mental state. In a powerful essay, she admitted that the fall of 2023 was one of her darkest periods. She felt the world had turned its back on her, leading to suicidal ideation and extreme isolation.

She described her weight as a "protective shield" she had built up over years of trauma, including the death of her father in 2009 and various abusive relationships. Therapy became the foundation of her transformation. Instead of using food to numb the pain, she used Pilates to process it.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, or just needs to talk, we encourage you to reach out to the 988lifeline.org or call/text 988 anytime. Lizzo’s journey reminds us that physical health and mental health are two sides of the same coin.

Lizzo's approach to "weight release" was holistic, focusing on what she put into her body and how she moved it within our beautiful L.A. landscape—from beach walks to intense gym sessions.

Lizzo didn't just "go to the gym." She built a lifestyle. Her routine included:

As a food journalism company, we were particularly interested in Lizzo's dietary changes. For years, Lizzo was a vocal advocate for veganism. However, during a trip to Japan, she began reintroducing animal protein into her diet after research and testing suggested it might help with her energy levels and mental fog.

She hired a chef to help with meal prep, ensuring she stayed in a calorie deficit while hitting high protein goals. One of her biggest "flexes"? Cutting out her massive Starbucks habit. She used to drink 2-3 sugary drinks a day, which added up to 1,200 empty calories. Now, she’s an "almond milk girlie," opting for a single cup of coffee fortified with vanilla protein.

With any dramatic celebrity transformation in the 2020s, the "O-word" is bound to come up. Lizzo has been incredibly firm in denying the use of Ozempic or other GLP-1 medications. In fact, for Halloween, she even dressed up as "LizzOzempic" to mock the rumors.

Her trainer, Corey Calliet, told the press that "Ozempic doesn’t get this credit. She’s really working." Lizzo itself noted that while Ozempic works for some by making them eat less, she found her results through a methodical calorie deficit and five months of intense weight training.

However, Lizzo has expressed concern about how the "Ozempic boom" is affecting the culture. In a candid Substack essay, she explored her complicated feelings about the current state of weight-loss culture. She noted that plus-size models are no longer getting booked for gigs and extended sizes are being erased from clothing websites. She fears that the progress made in plus-size representation is being rolled back as "skinny" becomes the trend again.

Many fans felt betrayed by Lizzo's transformation, accusing her of abandoning the body positivity movement. Lizzo disagrees. She still weighs over 200 pounds and describes herself as a "proud big girl."

She argues that body positivity has been commercialized into "commercial slop" and needs to move toward "body neutrality." To Lizzo, body neutrality means accepting that your feelings about your body will fluctuate. Some days you love it, some days you just inhabit it. She is "heavy on the not trying to escape fatness," but rather trying to pursue a lifestyle that keeps her mentally and spiritually clean.

She believes that women should be allowed to change. "The space I'm occupying isn't just for me," she once said, echoing the sentiment that her visibility helps others. Her "weight release" is a personal choice for health and longevity, not a rejection of her "big girl" identity.

Lizzo isn't just focusing on the scale; she's focusing on her craft. She recently teased new music, including the single "Love in Real Life" and the mixtape My Face Hurts From Smiling. She’s also continuing to grow her Yitty activewear line, which provides high-quality gear for bodies of all sizes—from those in Brentwood to those in Echo Park.

As a longtime LGBTQ ally, she continues to use her platform to support the community, often referring to her fans as "Lizzbians." Her message remains one of self-love, even as that self evolves.

No. Lizzo has repeatedly denied using Ozempic or any other weight-loss medications. She attributes her lizzo weight loss to a strict calorie deficit, high-protein diet, and consistent strength training over the course of nearly two years. She even used a Halloween costume to poke fun at the persistent rumors.

Lizzo has lost over 60 pounds and 16% of her body fat. She also lowered her BMI by 10.5 points. Despite this significant loss, she remains over 200 pounds and continues to advocate for "big girls" and body neutrality.

The journey began unintentionally during a period of severe depression in the fall of 2023. Facing a public scandal and legal issues, she felt suicidal and isolated. She chose to prioritize her mental health by engaging in therapy and physical activity, which eventually led to her "weight release" goals.

Lizzo's story is a reminder that health isn't a destination; it's a fluctuating, lifelong process. At Edible L.A., we believe in the power of seasonal, whole foods and the importance of listening to your body’s unique needs. Whether it’s reintroducing animal protein for energy or finding peace through a morning walk in Santa Monica, the goal is always to feel "Good as Hell."

Lizzo’s message to her critics is simple: "I did it." She earned her transformation through hard work, mental resilience, and a refusal to let the world define her. As she continues to grow and release new music, she remains a beacon of self-priority and personal growth.

For more stories on L.A. food culture and wellness, check out our seasonal produce guide.