Revealed! ‘Precious’ Star Gabourey Sidibe’s Stunning Weight Loss Secrets

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Gabourey Sidibe of the award-winning movie, Precious (2009) has dropped 150 pounds! And we cannot wait to spill Gabourey Sidibe’s weight loss secrets. She weighed 300 pounds and had type 2 diabetes. Her weight loss is more than just a physical transformation. Losing weight has helped her lower the adverse effects of type 2 diabetes, bulimiaⁱ  XA life-threatening eating disorder in which an individual overeats and then purges through vomiting. , anxiety, and depression.

According to a study, the globally obesity prevalence was 39.8% among adults between 20-39 years. This was followed by 44.3% among adults aged 40-59 years, and finally 41.5% among adults aged 60 and older. The study further stated that obesity-induced health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancer are among the most common diseases that lead to premature death.

With so many women worldwide with similar issues, it is important to talk about Gaby’s weight loss. Read on to know how Gaby shed the excess pounds and how you can win against bad habits and obesity and achieve your weight loss goals. Scroll down! for some celebrity health and fitness inspiration!

Gabourey Sidibe – Before She Was Famous

Gabourey Sidibe was just like you and me before she landed her iconic role in Precious. She was born on 6th May 1983 in Brooklyn, New York. Her mother, Alice Tan Ridley, is a gospel and American R&B singer, and her father, Ibnou Sidibe, is a cab driver. Gaby grew up with her aunt and attended City College of New York and Mercy College. Before joining the entertainment industry, she worked as a receptionist at the Fresh Air Fund. So, how did everything fall into place? Let’s find out!

How Did Gabourey Land Her Role In Precious?

While attending City College of New York, Gabby Sidibe started pursuing her passion – acting. Fortunately, she landed an audition for Precious in 2007. It was previously named Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire, a story about a young woman struggling with poverty and physical and sexual abuse. The movie received many accolades at the Cannes Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival. At the time, the movie did not have a distributor, but Oprah Winfrey helped with the promotion of the movie, and it was released through Lionsgate Entertainment. The name was changed to prevent confusion with the action drama, Push. And the rest is history – People’s Choice Award, Oscar nominations and wins, and tremendous success and recognition. And with success came the pressure of being “presentable” to the world. But did Precious actress Gaby decide to lose weight just to look pretty? Find out what prompted her to lose so much weight in the next section.

Why Did Gabourey Sidibe Decide To Lose Weight?

Every woman dreads the words “ugly” and “fat.” When a woman is not a typical size and shape, especially in the entertainment industry, she is quickly outcast and discriminated against at various levels. This can take a toll on their self-confidence and the mind-body connection. With the modern positive body image ideology, things are changing now, but at a snail’s pace. Gabourey Sidibe was once told by a renowned actor that she should quit the industry as it is so image-conscious! Brushing off comments like this is tough for anyone. But what really got her attention and made her finally take her health seriously was when she learned that she had type 2 diabetes. She was alarmed to know that her life was at risk, and it was then that she decided to lose weight.

How Did Gabourey Sidibe Lose About 150 Pounds So Quickly?

Soon after Gabourey learned that she had type 2 diabetes, she consulted with her doctor, Dr. Bradley Schwack, a bariatric surgeon, and decided to undergo weight loss surgery. In this surgery, the doctor removed 80% of her stomach to reduce its capacity. As a result, she would not be able to eat too much food at a time and soon feel full. Gabourey confirmed that she did go under the knife and stated, “The surgery wasn’t the easy way out. I wasn’t cheating by getting it done. I wouldn’t have been able to lose as much as I’ve lost without it.” She also had to take some effort to help this expensive surgery be successful. Scroll down to find out the fitness tips Gaby followed to keep the weight off.

Trivia

It has been shown that sleeve gastrectomyⁱ  XA surgical procedure in which about 15% of the stomach is removed for weight loss, giving it into a tube-like shape. (Gabourey’s surgery) can reduce mortality by 59% and 30%, respectively, in obese adults with and without type 2 diabetes (1).

Gabourey Sidibe Weight Loss Diet Secrets

Here are the best and most practical tips Gaby follows to keep from gaining the excess flab back.

• She Avoids Soda

While growing up, Gabourey Sidibe would drink soda frequently and have burger and fries. These unhealthy and poor eating choices were the initial reasons for weight gain. When she decided to lose the weight for her health, the first thing she did was to cut out soda from her diet completely. Instead, she started drinking ice-cold water with a few lemon slices. It kept her hydrated and flushed out all the toxins from her body.

Quick Tip

You may also drink coconut water, green tea, kombucha, or fresh fruit juice instead of soda.

• No More Junk Food

The next step that Gaby took was to remove all the junk food from her diet and follow healthy eating. Her childhood was filled with junk food, and she would eat Oreos and fries. Cutting down on burgers, pizza, fries, and all other processed foods helped lower the salt and trans fats intake. She started snacking on vegetable chips, hummus, and saltine crackers.

• Eats At The Right Time

Apart from making healthier food choices, consuming food at the right time is also highly important. She started consuming 6-7 meals per day with a heavy breakfast, a mid-sized lunch, and a light dinner. Drinking water 20 minutes before every meal also prevented her from overeating and kept her hydrated.

• Maintains Portion Size

Maintaining portion size and mindful eating is crucial when it comes to losing weight. Because no matter how healthily you eat, if you overeat, you will still gain weight. So, Gabourey Sidibe talked to a nutritionist and her personal trainer and started consuming the right amounts of good carbs (veggies, fruits, and grains), protein, and healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, seeds, and nuts) for optimal nutrition.

• Uses A Smaller Plate

The best way to control portion is to eat in a smaller plate. When you consume food in a smaller plate, your brain tricks you into assuming the small quantity of food to be a large quantity of food. As a result, you’d feel like you have eaten a lot when clearly, you have not.

• Reduced Her Salt And Sugar Consumption

Gabourey loved Oreos and cupcakes and binged on them. However, since her diagnosis, she made a firm decision to give up on them too. The sugar content in these foods is very high, and when you are diabetic, you have to control the amount of sugar you consume. So, she gave up on her favorites to improve her body composition and help treat diabetes type 2.

So, is only eating the right kind of nutrition enough to lose weight? Of course not! Here’s what Gaby did after one month of following healthy eating for her physical wellness.

Gabourey Sidibe’s Exercise Plan

After she started eating healthily, she started feeling more active and energetic. But she knew that to speed up the process of weight loss, she had to get a professional trainer who would help her slowly get back in shape. Here’s her fitness routine.

She started with low-impact exercises, like slow walks on the treadmill, stair stepper, and Versaclimber to put minimal pressure on her joints. This cardio helped her burn calories effectively. She moved on to other exercises for 30 minutes, three days per week. They included leg press, lunges, squats, lat pull down, and barbell curl. She also posted an impressive photo of her doing aerial yoga in June 2017. So far, she is going great with her positive habits, and all her hard work is showing in her body.

Infographic: A Peek Into Gabourey Sidibe’s Weight Loss Journey

Losing those extra pounds helped Gabourey Sidibe significantly improve her physical and mental health. If you need some inspiration stories for personal growth and fitness, don’t look any further. We have rounded up a few simple tips that helped Gabourey Sidibe on her weight loss journey. Check out the infographic below for some motivation.

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Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

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Frequently Asked Questions

What supplements or vitamins did Gabourey Sidibe take to aid in her weight loss?

Gabourey Sidibe has not publicly specified any supplements or vitamins she may have taken to help her lose weight.

What strategies did Gabourey Sidibe use to overcome cravings and emotional eating?

Gabourey Sidibe practiced mindfulness, stayed active, and made healthy food choices to overcome cravings and emotional eating.

How did Gabourey Sidibe stay motivated to reach her weight loss goals?

Gabourey Sidibe’s medical condition of type 2 diabetes encouraged her to lose weight and motivated her to reach her weight loss goals by following a strict diet routine and engaging in healthy activities.

How did Gabourey Sidibe overcome any emotional or mental barriers related to weight loss?

Gabourey Sidibe overcame the emotional or mental barriers related to weight loss by being hyperactive towards her fitness journey and focusing on healthy and positive aspects of life.

How did Gabourey Sidibe balance her weight loss goals with her personal and professional life?

Gabourey Sidibe never let her physical appearance be a barrier in her career in the glamor world. Now with her new workout regime, she is more energetic and enthusiastic than ever and channelizes this positivity in her work.

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

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Charushila BiswasHealth & Wellness Writer

 

Charushila is an ISSA certified Fitness Nutritionist and a Physical Exercise Therapist. Over a span of 6 years, she has authored more than 400 articles on diet, lifestyle, exercises, healthy food, and fitness equipment. She strives to inform, educate, and motivate her readers via authentic, straightforward, and fact-checked information. After completing her master's in biotechnology from Vellore Institute of Technology,...more

Ravi Teja TadimallaSenior Editor

Ravi Teja Tadimalla is a senior editor and a published author. He has been in the digital media field for over eight years. He graduated from SRM University, Chennai, and has a Professional Certificate in Food, Nutrition & Research from Wageningen University. He has written over 300 articles about ingredients and their benefits for the skin, hair, and health. He...more

Aparna MallampalliHealth & Wellness Writer

Aparna is a professor-turned-content writer with over 5 years of experience in life sciences. Her passion for writing and interest in the healthcare and wellness industry pushed her toward a career in content writing. She has a master’s degree in microbiology from Osmania University, Hyderabad, and a diploma in nutrition from Fab Academy. She aims to use her knowledge of...more