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Celebrity Weight Loss Trends: Meghan Trainor and the Rise of Weight Loss Injections
Singer Meghan Trainor, known for her body-positive hit “All About That Bass,” which included the lyric “Boys like a little more booty,” has recently admitted to using weight-loss injections. This admission places Trainor among a growing number of celebrities embracing pharmaceutical aids to achieve a thinner physique, marking a shift away from her earlier embrace of a curvier image.
Trainor’s acknowledgement that she is now among the “skinny bitches” she once critiqued highlights the evolving and often contradictory nature of celebrity body image. In an industry that frequently prioritizes thinness, the availability of rapid weight loss solutions like injections appears to be overshadowing the “big is beautiful” ethos previously championed by some.
The Ozempic Era: A New “Heroin Chic”?
The pursuit of extreme thinness, sometimes dubbed “Ozempic chic,” evokes comparisons to the “heroin chic” aesthetic of the past. A gaunt appearance is once again being glamorized, with red carpets increasingly featuring individuals exhibiting signs of rapid weight loss, such as loose skin. The ease of achieving dramatic weight loss through injections raises questions about the value placed on traditional methods of weight management, such as diet and exercise.
Meghan Trainor’s Disclosure and Shifting Image
Following online speculation regarding her increasingly slender figure, Meghan Trainor, 31, revealed her use of Mounjaro, an appetite suppressant injection. This disclosure came via Instagram after her appearance at the Billboard Women in Music Awards in Los Angeles, where her slimmed-down appearance was particularly noticeable.
In her Instagram post, Trainor stated, “I’ve worked with a dietician, made significant lifestyle changes, started exercising with a trainer, and yes, I used science and support (shoutout to Mounjaro!). I’m so glad I did because I feel great.”
While Trainor may express positive feelings, her decision to utilize medication to alter her body shape stands in contrast to her established brand of self-acceptance. For an artist who built her platform on body positivity, this reliance on pharmaceutical intervention represents a notable departure, regardless of personal justifications.
Remi Bader and the Transparency Question
Meghan Trainor is not alone in navigating public perception of weight loss and body image. Plus-size influencer Remi Bader also faced scrutiny after undergoing a significant physical transformation. Bader opted for a gastric sleeve and bypass surgery, removing 80 percent of her stomach, after claiming weight loss injections were ineffective for her.
Bader’s followers, who numbered in the millions, expressed curiosity when the formerly size 3XXL body positivity advocate lost 140 pounds in a year without explanation. She eventually addressed the transformation a year later, after facing criticism for posting misleading workout photos and blocking questioning comments.
Bader attempted to justify her delayed transparency on Khloe Kardashian’s podcast, “Khloe in Wonderland,” stating, “I needed to give myself the whole past year to heal and figure out what even just happened because I feel like people just want an answer from me and that’s not what I’m giving.”
This response sparked further debate about the responsibility of influencers to be transparent with their audience, particularly regarding health and body image. Bader’s past monetization of her plus-size image, including a collaboration with Victoria’s Secret, contrasted sharply with her reluctance to discuss her weight loss journey.
In 2023, Bader promoted inclusivity in fashion, stating about her Revolve collaboration, “I’m not dropping the sizes,” while advocating for expanded size ranges up to 3XXL. Her subsequent weight loss and physical transformation appeared to contradict this stance.
Jonathan Van Ness and Evolving Body Image Perspectives
Beyond female celebrities, the trend extends to male figures as well. Jonathan Van Ness, grooming expert from “Queer Eye,” has lost 66 pounds using weight loss drugs, which he described as a “huge help,” alongside Pilates.
Van Ness, previously outspoken about male body image and critical of mainstream media’s narrow depictions of ideal male physiques, now presents a changed perspective. He once criticized the promotion of “Adonis-looking men” as “very narrow and shortsighted,” but has since embraced a more conventionally muscular physique, exemplified in social media posts featuring his toned physique.
Nuance and the Normalization of Quick Fixes
It is important to acknowledge that seeking to achieve a healthier weight is not inherently negative. For individuals facing health risks associated with obesity, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart problems, medical interventions for weight loss can be beneficial when lifestyle changes prove insufficient.
Lizzo, known for her body-positive messages, recently shared her weight loss journey, stating that she achieved her goals without the use of weight loss medications. Keely Shaye Smith, wife of actor Pierce Brosnan, also revealed a significant weight transformation, having reportedly lost 100 pounds. Smith publicly responded to body shamers with a message of gratitude for her body’s accomplishments, without promoting any particular body image ideal.
While individual weight loss success stories can be inspirational, the increasing normalization of rapid, pharmaceutically-assisted weight loss raises concerns. The use of these methods by already slender individuals to achieve even greater thinness is a particularly worrying aspect of this trend.
The Extremes: Sharon Osbourne and Lottie Moss
Sharon Osbourne’s dramatically thin appearance exemplifies the potentially unhealthy outcomes of seeking extreme weight loss, appearing gaunt rather than健康 and naturally fit.
Model Lottie Moss’s experience further illustrates the risks. In September, Moss was hospitalized after being given high doses of Ozempic by a friend. Already underweight at 130 pounds, Moss lost an additional 15 pounds in a short period, motivated by dissatisfaction with her weight and perhaps influenced by the “heroin chic” aesthetic associated with her half-sister, Kate Moss.
This trend promotes a potentially harmful “quick fix” culture and reinforces a skewed aesthetic that favors artificially thin bodies, often contrasted with reliance on cosmetic fillers to counteract the aging effects of rapid weight loss.
Celebrity Culture and the Relatability Facade
Ultimately, the embrace of weight loss injections by celebrities underscores the often-artificial nature of celebrity culture and the pressures to maintain a marketable image. The pursuit of extreme thinness contrasts with the pretense of relatability often employed by celebrities to promote products and endorsements.
Oprah Winfrey, formerly a prominent Weight Watchers ambassador, has publicly acknowledged that her recent significant weight loss was achieved through medication. Winfrey, who advocated for Weight Watchers’ diet and exercise-based approach for years, even serving on the company’s board and profiting from stock sales, resigned last year citing a conflict of interest.
This suggests a broader shift away from traditional weight loss methods, with a growing acceptance of quicker, pharmaceutical solutions, even among those who previously championed other approaches. Calorie counting and sustained effort may be perceived as outdated in a culture that values rapid results.