15 Celebrity Weight Loss and Gain (Shocking Before & After)

Christiana Mikesch, CPT
Published by Christiana Mikesch, CPT | Senior Coach
Last updated: September 17, 2024
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Celebrities are scrutinized for almost everything around their lives, weight being one of them. This is because many people look up to them and wish to copy them. In fact, this is one of the reasons a large fraction of celebrities allow their fans into their lives through pictures, reality shows or even videos on social media.

Today, we are focusing our attention on celebrities' weight journeys. We will dissect how their weight journey has been over the years and the secret behind these changes. This will help you the fans determine if they are living a healthy health style or not.

Some celebs seek out extreme methods to shed pounds, while others transform with the aid of healthier methods.
- US Magazine

15 Celebrity Weight Loss & Gain (Before & After)

The stories we love, though, are when celebrities shed that weight the healthy way. Here are 15 healthy celebrity transformation success stories to inspire you to jumpstart your own body transformation.

1. Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson pics - before and after weight loss

Jennifer Hudson rose to fame as a finalist in the third season of American Idol for her powerful voice and went on to win an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and numerous other awards for her acting in the hit movie Dreamgirls.

All the while, though, she was viewed as a more plus-size celebrity and apparently she wasn’t happy with that. Hudson jumped on the Weight Watchers bandwagon and lost an impressive 80 pounds in under two years.

“I’m at the weight I want to be,” she says, now working as a Weight Watchers spokeswoman.

2. Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill - before and after weight loss

Typically typecast for physical comedy thanks to his chubby frame, funnyman Jonah Hill got serious about his weight in 2011. Having struggled with fluctuating weight for years, it wasn’t surprising when his weight fluctuated again after losing a big 40 pounds that year.

Jonah Hill before and after - “I went to a nutritionist and said, “I’ll lose weight, I’ll eat healthier, and whatever, but figure out how I can drink beer.”

As a fitness trainer, I've worked with clients who are hesitant to completely abandon certain unhealthy habits. However, I've developed strategies to incorporate these habits in moderation and within certain boundaries.

And there’s nothing wrong with this – you can lose weight with moderation and without quitting everything you love.

3. Jordin Sparks

Jordin Sparks - before and after weight loss

50 pounds down, Jordin Sparks sums up how to lose weight simply:

“There is no secret. It’s just eating better and working out! It’s definitely a daily thing.”

We couldn’t say it any better. The Idol winner and pop star attributes her weight loss to Zumba and portion control – two great methods for shedding pounds fast.

4. Jason Segel

Jason Segel - before and after weight loss

Jason Segel was forced to lose weight for a movie role in 2012, but he didn’t opt for some dangerous diet or out-of-control workout plan.

"No more midnight pizzas."

Instead, he stuck to healthy living, a clean diet, and regular exercise, a strategy that has always worked for my clients.

It doesn't appear he's really trying to bulk up that much, but he's done a great job of slimming down nonetheless.

5. Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin - before and after weight loss

After being diagnosed as pre-diabetic, super-suave actor Alec Baldwin decided to take his health much more seriously.

In a matter of four months, he cut off 30 pounds. How?

He gave up sugar. He also took up regular pilates and spinning. Do you need to give up sugar completely? No.

Does giving up processed foods loaded with sugar help? Well, take a look at Alec Baldwin.

6. Christian Bale

Christian-Bale-Weight-Loss

Christian Bale has long been known as the epitome of the method actor.

The body transformations he’s undergone for films like “The Machinist” and more recently, “Vice”, are legendary. Vice required him to pack on nearly 50 pounds to portray former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Bale's dramatic physical changes in roles also highlight the intersection between weight loss and career opportunities in Hollywood. Such transformations often lead to a diverse range of roles, showcasing how physicality can be a significant factor in an actor's career trajectory

Now that Vice has wrapped Bale is back to his normal weight. How did he do it?

Well, for once in his life he decided to listen to a pro and hired a nutritionist who took him step by step back down the weight ladder.

“I decided that maybe somebody knows better than I do.” He quipped.

youtube

7. Matthew McConaughey

Weight loss before and after

Matthew McConaughey was never exactly fat but until recently he wasn’t entirely pleased with his profile.

In order to get rid of some excess weight and provide his physique some “polish” (his word) he sought out the services of celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson.

Every day he would show up at Peterson’s

Beverly Hills gym (dubbed “the Compound” because it’s hidden away from the paparazzi) at 6 am and run the cardio gauntlet.

When asked why he works so hard getting in shape in his late 40s McConaughey quipped “At 30 they’re saying Roger Federer is old. I’m just trying to stay limber!”

8. Natalie Portman

Kiera Knightly weight loss

In order to take on the role of a ballerina in the film “Black Swan” Natalie Portman went through a grueling cross-training routine that enabled her to shed 20 pounds.

When she showed up on the set even director Darren Aronofsky was impressed. I was like, 'Natalie, start eating.'” he says.

20 pounds might not seem like a lot but consider that Portman is only 5’ 3” tall and was not exactly portly to start.

“I had never gotten that much training” she says now. While she may not have been used to such rigorous workouts the results speak for themselves.

9. Mark Wahlberg

Matt Damon Weight loos before and after

To prepare for his role in “The Gambler” Mark Wahlberg needed to get thin. Really thin.

Just a few months before shooting was scheduled to start he weighed nearly 200 pounds, but over the course of the following 16 weeks, he dropped a remarkable 60 pounds.

He says he “just had small liquids throughout the day, then I was exercising two or three times a day.”

Not everyone was a fan of his weight loss success. He says his wife was “a little freaked out”. But Wahlberg insists it’s all part of the job. “Hard work and pays off” he says.

Related Article: Weight loss inspiration by Noom

10. Brad Pitt

Brad-Pitt

Brad Pitt was all muscle and grit for his role as Achilles in 2003’s “Troy”.

In recent months, however, more than a few people have noticed that the Oscar winner seems to have lost a substantial amount of weight. So what gives Brad?

He’s apparently just “focusing on himself” these days, according to a friend. And has hired a chef who is cooking him healthy meals.

That same friend says Pitt’s weight loss is neither worrying nor extreme. “He’s dedicated to clean living” is the way team Pitt is spinning it. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

11. Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood weight loss

Following the birth of her son Isaiah singer Carrie Underwood wanted to regain control of her body.

That meant shedding the weight she had put on during her pregnancy. Because she had a C-section however she was limited in what she could do for the first 6 weeks. But once she had the doctor’s okay it was workout city here we come.

Her favorite workout is the Tabata regimen which entails 20 seconds of high-intensity activity followed by 10 seconds of rest, on and on for 4 minutes. It's also one of my go-to HIIT workouts as a fitness trainer when training clients.

“It really works” she says and the 30 pounds she’s shed as a result is testament enough to the truth of that statement.

12. Will Smith

will-smith-workout

Will Smith’s body transformation for the hit movie “Suicide Squad” didn’t entail weight loss as much as transforming body fat into muscle.

Smith did that by sticking to a healthy diet and combining it with a rigorous workout regime that had him in the weight room nearly every day.

Smith’s dedication to diet and exercise left many of the cast and crew in awe.

“When the biggest star on the movie is such a hard worker, it does a lot for morale on set” one of his co-stars said. And now that he’s ripped Smith doesn’t have any plans to go back to his former body.

13. Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson weight loss before and after

Singer Jessica Simpson, after her second pregnancy, was 60 pounds over her usual weight. She turned to weight loss expert and author Liz Josefsberg for assistance.

Josefsberg's expertise highlights the critical role of professional guidance in weight loss. Nutritionists are key in creating realistic, sustainable dietary plans, a common practice among celebrities.

Josefsberg recommended a regimen of five small, healthy meals daily, paired with exercise, a method I've also successfully used with a client.

Simpson committed fully, saying, "Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it." Her dedication paid off, and she quickly returned to her target weight, looking fabulous.

14. Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey Weight Loss

In recent years the weight just sort of crept up on Mariah Carey as it does for most people when they hit their 40s.

The superstar singer tried everything but was stymied at every turn. Finally, in late 2017, she submitted to gastric sleeve surgery and the results have been stunning.

These days when Mariah steps out she does so 50 pounds lighter than she was a year ago.

She hasn’t looked so good since her heyday in the mid-90s and gives all the credit to the simple surgical procedure that she says helped her turn her life around.

15. Matt Damon

Matt Damon Weight loos before and after

For his role in “Courage Under Fire” Matt Damon had to go the Christian Bale route and lose a lot of weight.

He successfully shed 60 pounds he says “by running 13 miles a day and eating only chicken”.

Just chicken!

Although that’s no anyone’s idea of a healthy diet, and Damon did put some of those 60 pounds back on after the movie, the experience made him more aware of the importance of eating well and watching your weight. His lone indulgence these days? “Taco night”, once a week.

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About The Author

Christiana Mikesch, CPT
Senior Coach
Christiana Mikesch, CPT is a personal trainer and author with contributions to publications like the Chicago Tribune and Yahoo. She emphasizes a holistic approach to weight loss, combining an energy-fueling diet, goal-oriented workouts, and daily habits. Her approach avoids short-term goals and fosters a lifelong commitment to health and well-being.
Learn more about our editorial policy
Lisa Lorraine Taylor, BSc, CPT
Staff Writer
Lisa Lorraine Taylor, BSc, CPT holds a BSc degree in Holistic Nutrition from Clayton College of Natural Health and is the owner of Taylor Made Fitness. Her philosophy centers on cutting through the hype and misinformation surrounding dietary supplements, focusing instead on practical, science-backed strategies for health and weight loss.
Learn more about our editorial policy

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One thought on “Celebrity Weight Loss and Gain Before and After Success Stories

  1. These celebrity weight loss stories are so inspiring! I’m sure they have a personal trainer who looks over their diet and exercise. How I wish I have one too!

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