The Pioneer Woman's Weight Loss Transformation Had Rumors Flying
While there are several untold truths of the Pioneer Woman that you might not know about, lifestyle mogul Ree Drummond is adamant that using Ozempic to lose weight is not one of them. The Food Network star has lost around 50 pounds since embarking on a personal wellness journey in early 2021, as outlined in a June 2021 blog post. Drummond wrote that she hoped her story could be inspirational to others and described herself as "a 52-year-old lover of food and avoider of exercise."
As if to put the rumor mill to rest before it even started, the Pioneer Woman founder began her story with a list of things she didn't do to lose weight. Drummond said she didn't use a Keto diet, intermittent fasting, a personal trainer, specialty diet foods, or a weight loss program like Weight Watchers or Noom.
Three years later in March 2024, Drummond revisited her initial blog post to clarify that she had also not taken Ozempic, Wegovy, or similar medications to facilitate weight loss. Her reasoning was simple: she didn't even know the drugs existed back in 2021. "But," she clarified, "you'll never hear a second of judgment from me about people who choose that direction."
Ree Drummond said her weight loss methods were far less trendy
It's not surprising that Ree Drummond felt the need to clarify that she didn't use semaglutide drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, given the wave of public figures who have done so themselves. Ozempic and Wegovy were formulated with the active ingredient semaglutide to treat Type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin levels and decreasing blood sugar. Ozempic, which contains a smaller dose of semaglutide than Wegovy, is not approved for weight loss. Wegovy was approved for chronic weight management in 2021, per UC Davis Health.
Many celebrities have used Ozempic to lose weight, including Sharon Osbourne, whose weight transformation was so dramatic that she started to remind her husband, Ozzy Osbourne, of Nancy Reagan, a slender first lady. Other public figures like "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Jennifer Fessler have also been open about their use of Ozempic, even when, in Fessler's case, it resulted in scary weight loss shot side effects. Drummond's decision not to use Ozempic wasn't so much a personal health decision as it was a case of sheer ignorance.
"The simple, boring truth is that when I set out to lose weight in January of 2021, I had never heard of that class of drugs," Drummond wrote in her blog post. "And to be honest, if I had heard of them and had seen all the results that are out there, I might have been tempted to try them. But I simply didn't know those drugs existed then."
The Pioneer Woman used tried and true techniques to improve her health
The Pioneer Woman's Ree Drummond has built a lifestyle empire on her down-home, relatable content, and her weight loss journey has been no different. Drummond's blog post outlines the ways she really lost more than 40 pounds, which included focusing on incorporating more nutrients into her diet, exercising regularly, and cutting out alcohol for the first four months of 2021. But she's also opened up about the subject in various interviews since then, including a conversation she had with Today in October 2023.
"The biggest takeaway, which I don't always adhere to, is trying not to waste calories," Drummond told Today.com. "I could eat a plate of delicious food with different elements and colors and flavor, or I could eat a donut. Sometimes, it's the donut. But it's just a good thing to have in mind." She also mentioned her newfound exercise routine, which includes walking, doing pilates while watching TV, and using a rowing machine. Though, in another all-too-relatable moment, Drummond admitted, "Right now, the rowing machine is a clothes rack."
Public speculation about one's physical appearance is an unfortunate part of being a celebrity, but Drummond handles the rumor mill in an honest, humble way typical of her on-screen persona. She's been frank about the natural fluctuations in her weight since starting her wellness journey and has remained an optimistic inspiration for those who wish to improve their physical and mental well-being.