Celebs Who Lost with Bariatric Surgery

It’s easy to imagine that Hollywood A-listers all come by their perfectly slim physiques naturally—or at the very least, with the help of personal trainers, chefs, and nutritionists. That’s not always the case, though. File this under “Stars, they’re just like us” news, but plenty of well-known celebrities have achieved lasting weight-loss success through bariatric surgery. Their stories can be inspirational if you’ve ever considered a surgical procedure to help with your own obesity issues.

• Al Roker. After the Today weather anchor was unable to lose weight with regular diets, he underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2002 and dropped 100 pounds within eight months. He has spoken out about the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and fitness regime to keep the weight off.

• Star Jones. The former co-host of The View kept her 2003 gastric bypass surgery under wraps for years before finally crediting it for her 160-pound loss over three years. Once diagnosed as morbidly obese, Jones now rocks a size 6.

• Randy Jackson. When the American Idol judge was diagnosed with type two diabetes in 2001, he opted to undergo gastric bypass surgery a few years later. He lost more than 100 pounds and has kept it off by making healthier food choices and getting active.

• Roseanne Barr. The comic and sitcom actress struggled with her weight for most of her life, reaching 350 pounds at one point before opting to have gastric bypass in 1998. The surgery helped her drop more than 150 pounds, and recently, she made headlines after showing off a newly slim figure thanks to healthy lifestyle changes she’s continued since then.

Inspired by these celeb success stories? You can find out more about Penn’s program at one of the Penn Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery Program’s free information sessions. Sign up today.