Featured Image Credit: @lizzobeeating/Instagram
Topics: Lizzo, Mental Health, Celebrity, Ozempic, Social Media
Emily Brown
Topics: Lizzo, Mental Health, Celebrity, Ozempic, Social Media
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
Lizzo opened up about her weight loss and her journey with her mental health in an interview in which she admitted she felt 'tired of living' at one point.
The 'About Damn Time' singer has caught fans' attention with her weight loss in recent months, prompting some social media users to speculate that she may have been assisted by Ozempic, the type 2 diabetes medicine which some people have used to aid weight loss.
As the theories continued to circulate, Lizzo attempted to set the record straight with a post shared last month, in which she indicated she did not use Ozempic and instead worked her 'a** off'.
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At the time, she attributed her changing appearance to a combination of factors, including 'training 3x a week, daily sauna & cardio, adding animal protein back into my diet, hiring a chef who helps me meal prep and keeps track of what I put into my body in a calorie deficit'.
Lizzo opened up further about her health journey in an interview with Women's Health, in which she described struggles with her mental health after she was sued in 2023 by three former backup dancers alleging sexual harassment and weight shaming.
The musician has denied the allegations, but the case is still active with her company, Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc., named as a defendant.
As she became subject to cancel culture, Lizzo described becoming 'very paranoid and isolated'.
"I pushed everyone away. I wasn't even talking to my therapist. I wasn't present. I wasn't open. I wasn't myself anymore," she said. "It got to the point where it's just like, well…You ever get tired of living?
"It got to the point where I was like, 'I could die.' I never attempted to kill myself or thought about it, but I did think, If everyone hates you and thinks you're a terrible person, then what's the point?"
Lizzo's mindset started to change after she went to Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' tour, where she was surprised to find that people were offering her support.
"It made me feel like, wow, maybe I don't want to die," she said. "Life is worth living. That was the kick-starter to me being like, 'Okay, Melissa, get your ass in gear and take your f*cking life back.'"
This motivation, combined with intense back pain that left her struggling to function day-to-day, prompted Lizzo to set a weight loss goal - which she has since surpassed.
She worked with trainer Marvin Telp to create a routine, and changed her diet to include more protein and vegetables, as well as the occasional treat.
"There's a balance," she said of her diet, adding: "I think that's what true health is."
Addressing the Ozempic rumors head-on, Lizzo clarified that she isn't taking the medication, but equally doesn't condemn the idea.
"If I did all of this on Ozempic, if I did all this with surgery, I would be just as proud of myself, because this s**t is hard," she said. "Everyone who's ever been in a bigger body knows that this s**t ain't easy. Existing isn't easy."
Now, she added: "I'm proud of the person I've become. I feel like I've turned everything I've been through into growth."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.