Lifestyle Health Celebrity Health Kelly Clarkson: Everything She Has Said About Her Weight Over the Years The singer and talk-show host, who recently shared that she took medication to lose weight for better health, has long been open about her body image By Cara Lynn Shultz Cara Lynn Shultz Cara Lynn Shultz is a writer-reporter at PEOPLE. Her work has previously appeared in Billboard, Forbes, and Reader's Digest. People Editorial Guidelines Published on May 15, 2024 04:32PM EDT Kelly Clarkson through the years. Photo: Kevin Winter/ImageDirect/FOX; Robin Marchant/Getty; Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Kelly Clarkson has always shared what's on her mind. The outspoken singer and host of the The Kelly Clarkson Show recently told guest Whoopi Goldberg that she used prescription medicine to lose weight after “my bloodwork got so bad." However, Clarkson, 42, was quick to point out that she wasn’t on Ozempic — one of the FDA-approved prescription medications for people with type 2 diabetes — which has become a trendy weight-loss tool. “I'm afraid of it. I already have thyroid problems,” the Daytime Emmy Award winner, told Goldberg. “Everybody thinks it's Ozempic, but it's not. It's something else… that aids in helping break down the sugar," She also revealed that at "my heaviest, I was like 203 [pounds]. And I'm like 5'3" and a half.” Clarkson previously told PEOPLE, “I dropped weight because I’ve been listening to my doctor — a couple years I didn’t. And 90 percent of the time I’m really good at it because a protein diet is good for me anyway. I’m a Texas girl, so I like meat — sorry, vegetarians in the world!” Since winning American Idol in 2002, Clarkson has been outspoken and honest with fans. Here's what she has said about weight, body image, and the pressures of being a public figure. 01 of 09 Becoming an Idol Kelly Clarkson on 'American Idol.'. Kevin Winter/ImageDirect/FOX “Even on American Idol I was really thin, but I was bigger than the other girls on the show, so people would say things to me,” the singer, who was 20 when she won the first season of the reality competition show, told PEOPLE. “But luckily I am super confident, so I’ve never had a problem with shutting people down and saying, ‘Yeah, you know, that’s just what I’m rocking. It’s fine.’ ” 02 of 09 'Skinny and Unhappy' Kelly Clarkson at the Teen Choice Awards in 2002. J. Vespa/WireImage “When I was really skinny and unhappy, I wanted to kill myself,” Clarkson, here at the Teen Choice Awards in 2002, told Attitude magazine. “I was miserable, like inside and out, for four years of my life. But no one cared, because aesthetically you make sense.” 03 of 09 Pressure to Be Thin Kelly Clarkson at the 2005 Video Music Awards. Kevin Winter/Getty “I’ve had this discussion with many females in the industry. I felt more pressure from people actually when I was thin, when I was really thin and not super healthy because I just was worn out, just working so hard and not keeping healthy habits,” the singer, here at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, told Glamour UK. “But I felt more pressure. It was more of magazines shoved in front of you and, ‘This is what you’re competing with and we’ve got to compete with it.’ ” 04 of 09 No Comment Kelly Clarkson in 2009. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic "When people talk about my weight, I'm like, 'You seem to have a problem with it; I don't. I'm fine,' " Clarkson, here in 2009, told SELF magazine that same year. "I've never felt uncomfortable on a red carpet or anything." 05 of 09 Baby Body Kelly Clarkson in 2016. Ray Mickshaw/FOX Image Collection via Getty “You're not attractive when you're pregnant. Like everybody tells you you glow and your hair is pretty and your nails are pretty. That's is total crap,” Clarkson told Ellen DeGeneres during an appearance on her show while pregnant with daughter River Rose, now 9, whom she shares with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, along with son Remington "Remy" Alexander, 8. Clarkson, here pregnant with her second child in 2016, told the talk-show host that “my nails are short, my hair still falls out — like it's not all lush and beautiful. And I have no glow. Unless it's like something left over from a bad throw up. It's horrible." 06 of 09 Clapping Back Kelly Clarkson in 2017. GP Images/Getty Clarkson clapped back at a body-shamer on Twitter after the singer sent a message thanking the troops for Veteran’s Day — and a troll chimed in to call her "fat.” “And still f—ing awesome,” Clarkson retorted. 07 of 09 Showing Support Kelly Clarkson in 2020. Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Clarkson, here in 2020, jumped in to defend Valerie Bertinelli after the actress was called “chubby” on Instagram. Bertinelli took a screenshot of the comment and posted it on Twitter, adding, “Wow. Someone is always there to remind me to tidy up my negative thoughts some more. Thank you for reminding me I’m so much more than my body. Have a blessed day.” Clarkson chimed in, writing, “True power is recognizing the projection of others negativity & punching it square n the face w/all the positive, remarkable, intelligent, beautiful light that seeps from ur pores. Pity people that speak ill of others because while some of us r dancing, the others r too afraid.” 08 of 09 Wake-Up Call Kelly Clarkson in 2023. Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Clarkson said on her talk show that seeing a video of herself perform in 2023 made her start her weight-loss journey. "I was like, ‘Who the f– was that?’ I swear to God. It sounds insane,“ she said. "Because I watched that show and I was like, ‘Any second now, she is gonna die.'" 09 of 09 The Right Fit Kelly Clarkson in 2024. Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Clarkson lost weight for her health — not for her wardrobe, as she quipped to Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Bush when they were guests on her show. "I love losing weight, but here's the thing," Clarkson said. "Jeans are so hard when you have a butt and a smaller waist." Close