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Gabourey Sidibe Weight Loss Secrets: Diet & Workout Revealed
Gabourey Sidibe's weight loss inspired millions of people worldwide. The 'Precious’ star lost 150 pounds in a short span. Here’s all about her diet & workout routine.
If you are overweight and take losing a few extra pounds as mission impossible, Gabourey Sidibe’s weight loss transformation is here to inspire you. Before undergoing her body transformation, she weighed 300 pounds. Moreover, she also has type 2 diabetes, which made losing weight much more difficult for her. Mary Sabat, our contributor and a certified trainer says, “Losing weight with type 2 diabetes can be challenging due to insulin resistance, but it is possible with a combination of regular exercise, a balanced diet, and medication management.” However, with healthy lifestyle modification, discipline, and determination, the actress has lost 150 pounds which is nearly half of her total body weight in a short time span.
Nowadays, many people across the globe suffer from obesity and overweight issues and often look for healthy tips to help them get back in shape. Here we are spilling some beans on Gabourey’s weight loss secrets to shed a few extra kilos and achieve a perfect hourglass figure. Read on!
Who Is Gabourey Sidibe?
Gabourey Sidibe is an American actress who made her first appearance in the world of entertainment in 2009. She started her career as an actress in the movie Precious and her performance was highly applauded by her audience. Her role in the debut film also helped her earn various prestigious accolades including Independent Spirit Awards for Best Female Lead and nominations for Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Actress.
Gabourey was born on May 06, 1983, in New York to Alice Tan Ridley (R&B and Gospel singer) and Ibnou Sidibe, a cab driver by profession. She completed her basic education at Borough of Manhattan Community College and attended City College of New York and Mercy College. Before starting her acting career, she worked as a receptionist at The Fresh Airfund’s office.
What Motivated Gabourey Sidibe to Lose Weight?
The renowned actress suffered years of bullies for her body weight and appearance in the past. In the societies we live in today, women are often made embarrassed and humiliated for being fat. If a woman carries a bulky body, especially in the field of media and entertainment, she is most likely to be discriminated against and outcasted at different levels. Sidibe recalls an incident when she was once told by an actor that she should quit the media industry as a person’s physical appearance is important here. Dealing with such comments is difficult for anyone. This comment didn’t go well with Gabourey and she decided to make healthy lifestyle modifications for overall wellness.
Gabourey Sidibe’s Weight Loss Diet Plan
Gabourey was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and decided to pay much-needed attention to her health. After she was diagnosed with the endocrine disorder, her doctor Bradley Shwack (Bariatric Surgeon) suggested weight loss surgery. In this procedure, the surgeon removed 80% of her stomach to reduce its capacity. Now, she can’t eat too much food at a time and feels full sooner. Gabourey has made certain modifications in her diet and lifestyle to stay fit and healthy. Here are a few insights from Sidibe’s diet for weight loss.
1. She Avoids Drinking Soda
Gabourey confessed that she grew up drinking soda and gorging on fries and burgers, the major culprit behind her unwanted weight gain. When she decided to make healthy choices to shed a few extra kilos; removing sodas completely from her list of favorite foods was the first thing she did. She replaced carbonated drinks with ice-cold water with a few slices of lemon in it. Drinking lemon water throughout the day keeps her well-hydrated and helps the body detox. According to our contributor Mary Sabat, drinking lemon water alone does not directly boost weight loss, but it can be a part of a healthy diet by promoting hydration and providing some vitamin C to the body.
2. She Avoids Eating Junk Food
The actress recalls that her childhood was filled with junk food. However, in the later years when she decided to embark on a weight loss journey, she decided to keep unhealthy foods such as pizza, burgers, oreo cookies, chips, and everything that contains a high concentration of salt and trans fats off her plate. Now, she loves snacking on hummus, vegetable chips, and nuts.
3. She Prefers Eating at the Right Time
Besides eating healthful foods, eating at the right time is crucial for maintaining overall health. Gabourey eats 6-7 mini meals a day with a heavy breakfast. She drinks plenty of water 20 minutes before meals, which helps her control portions and feel fuller. Guzzling on liters of water is said to improve metabolism and energy levels throughout the day, which eventually led to weight loss (1).
4. She Pays Attention to Portion Size
No matter how healthy you eat, if you are overeating even the healthiest foods, you are more likely to gain weight. Gabourey pays much attention to keeping the portion size small. Her personal nutritionist guided her well on eating the right portion of carbs, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats to keep her body well-nourished without putting her at a greater risk of unwanted weight gain.
5. She Avoids Eating Sugary & Salty Food Items
The actress confirmed that she has binged on cupcakes and Oreos since her childhood. But as soon as she was diagnosed with diabetes, she decided to give up on these high-sugar foods. She gave up on her comfort foods to not only manage her diabetes but to bring her body back in shape.
But, is eating mindfully enough to shed 150 pounds of total body weight? Of course not. Let’s take a sneak peek at some other fitness regimes the actress followed to stay in the best of her physical and emotional health.
Gabourey Sidibe’s Workout Routine for Weight Loss
After Gabourey started eating nutritious foods, she felt more active and energized. Also, she wanted to speed up her weight loss process and indulge in regular workouts for maximum results. Here is a sneak peek of what is included in Sidibey’s workout routine.
1. Low-impact Exercises
In the beginning, she started performing low-impact exercises such as stair climbing, walking on the treadmill, and versa climber. Regular stair climbing for 5 minutes for three weeks may help reduce body weight (2). Walking or doing treadmill exercises help burn more calories depending on the duration and intensity, thus helping you to decrease body weight (3). These light cardio workouts helped her burn lose calories without putting much pressure on her muscles and joints.
2. Lunges And Squats
Apart from performing low-intensity and cardio workouts, Sidibe also included other exercises such as lunges, squats, barbells, and leg-press to bounce back in shape fast. Squats make a feasible and easy workout to improve body posture and muscular strength (4). Leg press exercises help tone your lower body by strengthening the muscles and may reduce fat in the legs (5).
3. Yoga And Mediation
Weight loss exercises are not bound to physical activity but improve mental health as well. Higher levels of stress may lead to emotional eating and weight gain. Gabourey is a big fan of doing yoga and meditation every day. It helps her manage stress and attain peace of mind. In 2017, she posted a photograph of her doing yoga to empower herself inside and out.
Gabourey Sidibe’s jaw-dropping body transformation has stunned millions of men and women across the globe. The American actress has suffered years of bullies for her heavy body, so she decided to undergo weight loss surgery along with making lifestyle modifications.
One of the major reasons behind Gabourey Sidibe's weight loss journey was type 2 diabetes. When she was diagnosed with the disorder, she decided to pay more attention to her physical and mental well-being. The actress made healthy modifications in her diet and workout regime. She avoided drinking soda and gorging on unhealthy foods. Sidibe indulged in a workout regime that included low-impact cardio workouts, squats, lunges, etc. to tone her muscles without putting much pressure on her joints. She practices yoga and meditation regularly to manage her stress levels and attain peace of mind. Her weight loss journey is truly an inspiration for all!
Contributor: Mary Sabat, Nutritionist and Ace Certified Trainer, Body Designs by Mary
Sources
1. Effect of ‘Water Induced Thermogenesis’ on Body Weight, Body Mass Index and Body Composition of Overweight Subjects
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3809630/
2. Effects of Three-Week Stair Climbing Exercise for Weight Control: A Case Series Study
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311635291_Effects_of_Three-Week_Stair_Climbing_Exercise_for_Weight_Control_A_Case_Series_Study
3. Effects of Walking Speed on Total and Regional Body Fat in Healthy Postmenopausal Women
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8840715/
4. Effects of Body Mass-Based Squat Training in Adolescent Boys
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3761779/
5. Regional fat changes induced by localized muscle endurance resistance training
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23222084/
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