Over the years, we've seen a lot of celebrity weight loss transformations, and stars are more than happy to fill us in on how they got there. Personal trainers, specialized diets, hours in the gym — none of their methods are truly that groundbreaking (though having the cash to work with professionals definitely helps). Others have chosen to use weight loss surgery as a tool in reaching their goals, although it's something that many stars keep to themselves.
Lately, weight loss surgery in Hollywood has been making headlines again now that Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star Alana Thompson revealed that she's planning to go under the knife for a similar procedure as soon as she turns 17 — and she's the hardly the only one who's opting for this kind of assistance (including her mom, June Shannon).
Read on for celebrities who have had weight loss surgery. It's not the right answer for everyone, but for those it can help, it has made a tremendous difference in their lives.
June Shannon
In 2017, the world watched as Mama June Shannon of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo fame underwent weight loss surgery on her WeTV series, Mama June: From Not to Hot. She managed to lose more than 300 pounds, though she later ended up gaining some of that weight back after going through rehab.
"Am I happy the way I am? Yeah. When I was a size 2 at 150, I was way too damn small. Now I'm 250 and I feel good. Even when I was 500, people didn't believe I was 500," she told TooFab in 2021.
Rosie O'Donnell
In 2014, Rosie O'Donnell revealed that she had a vertical gastric sleeve procedure in June 2013, a year after suffering a heart attack. According to E! Online, she first shared the news at an American Heart Association event, encouraging other women to take care of their own health.
She was able to lose more than 60 pounds in two years thanks to the surgery, and she told People that it changed her life.
Kelly Osbourne
During an episode of the Hollywood Raw podcast in August 2020, Kelly Osbourne — who is expecting her first child — opened up about how getting gastric sleeve surgery helped her lose more than 80 pounds.
"All it does is change the shape of your stomach. I got that almost two years ago. I will never ever ever lie about it," she said. "It is the best thing I have ever done."
Star Jones
In 2003, Star Jones' gastric bypass surgery helped her lose more than 160 pounds. She shared in an essay for Glamour four years later how the experience affected her life after she attempted to hide the surgery from the public eye.
"Gastric bypass is a very serious procedure with its own set of risks. I've been afforded the luxury of consulting numerous doctors, specialists, and colleagues who concluded that this surgery was the only way I could regain control of my life," she wrote. "It isn't an easy fix, and the recovery doesn't end when you come out of anesthesia — that's when the real work begins."
Abby Lee Miller
Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller went under the knife in April 2017. She had a sleeve gastrectomy that would remove 80% of her stomach ahead of her sentencing for bankruptcy fraud (which Abby Lee has since served and been released from). ET later reported that Abby had lost 100 pounds while in prison.
Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson had gastric bypass surgery in 2003, and nearly 20 years later, he talked to People about how he's managed to maintain his 100-pound weight loss.
"I think if I had not figured it all out, I would've gained at least half, if not more, of that weight back," he explained. "And I'm proud to know that we did something that helps me, that helps everyone else, and takes the guesswork out of it for everybody."
Carnie Wilson
Carnie Wilson has had two weight loss surgeries, including a lap band procedure in 2012. The first time around, the singer was able to lose 150 pounds, and after having her newer band placed, she was successful again, admitting that having children had derailed her weight loss efforts.
Al Roker
Longtime Today weather legend Al Roker lost 100 pounds in 2002 after he had a gastric bypass, at which point he weighed in at 340 pounds. In March 2022, he celebrated the 10-year anniversary of his surgery with a post on Instagram.
"It's still a struggle, but I'm never going back," he wrote. "I have setbacks and struggle every day, but I never forget how far I've come."
Sharon Osbourne
Like her daughter Kelly, Sharon Osbourne also went under the knife in the name of weight loss (though she did so decades earlier). In 1999, she had gastric bypass surgery, though she later regretted her decision and, in 2006, she went back into the OR to have the band removed.
Lauren Manzo
In 2012, Real Housewives of New Jersey star Caroline Manzo's daughter, Lauren, revealed that she'd had lap band surgery after she realized that her weight gain had made her depressed.
"It's not a miracle button that lets you eat whatever you want," she told Us Weekly at the time. "I wanted to try to lose weight on my own for a while."
Roseanne Barr
In 1998, Roseanne Barr had gastric bypass surgery, which helped her lose 80 pounds, and ultimately, she decided to return for another surgery — a tummy tuck to remove her loose skin from losing so much weight. She's attributed the rest of her weight loss to "eating less and moving more."
Graham Elliot
In 2013, MasterChef judge Graham Elliot had a sleeve gastrectomy after he reached 400 pounds, opting for a laparoscopic procedure that would still allow him to taste different dishes as a chef and judge.
"Weight is something I've battled all my life. It's hard to get in and out of a car, tie my shoes, or play with my kids," he told People at the time. "This is what I need to do for my family."
Gabourey Sidibe
Precious star Gabourey Sidibe revealed that she'd had weight loss surgery in her 2017 memoir, which was first shared by People. She made the decision after she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
"My surgeon said they'd cut my stomach in half. This would limit my hunger and capacity to eat. My brain chemistry would change, and I'd want to eat healthier. I'll take it! My lifelong relationship with food had to change," she wrote in her book.
Lisa Lampanelli
When comedian Lisa Lampanelli had gastric sleeve surgery in 2012, she lost more than 80 pounds, which came with a lot of work — including emotionally. "I have to figure out my addiction issue and how I even got overweight in the first place," she told In Touch Weekly at the time, via Today.
Chris Christie
Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, secretly got weight loss surgery in 2013, shedding an estimated 100 pounds in the process, according to NBC News. At the time, he simply commented that he was halfway to his goal, and he has chosen not to speak out much about the procedure.
