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Marlyne Barrett's Weight Loss Story: How the Actress Lost 20 Pounds
The American star was diagnosed with uterine and ovarian cancer that changed her appearance. In this article, find the story behind Marlyne Barrett weight loss.
Best known for her role as Maggie Lockwood in the hit medical series called Chicago Med, the famed actress, Marlyne Barrett came into more limelight for her body transformation. As she played the role of nurse-in-charge of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center’s ED in the eighth season of the show, Marlyne Barrett weight loss became apparent. Her physical appearance garnered the attention of her fans as they questioned the reason behind it and showed concern on social media.
In September 2022, the actress opened up about her diagnosis of uterine and ovarian cancer, which may have been associated with her weight loss. Even though she was undergoing chemotherapy and lost about 20 pounds in the process, Lockwood did not give up on shooting for her role in the series. While the medical condition impacted her appearance and overall health, how did Maggie from Chicago Med lose weight? Ahead, we have put together everything you ought to know about her journey with cancer and her weight loss which made headlines.
Who Is Marlyne Barrett?
Born in Brooklyn (New York, USA), Marlyne Barret is a renowned American film and television actress who has appeared in multiple movies and shows. She made her on-screen debut with a short film called Angelique in the year 1999. She made cameos in various other direct-to-DVD movies and made-for-television shows before getting her first lead role in the romantic comedy named Love, Sex and Eating the Bones in 2003. Since then, Marlyne Barret began to appear in several movies like Hitch, Law and Order, Off the Black, Night Call, Good Fences, and many more. Apart from the big screen, she started having recurring roles between 2006 and 2008 ? firstly as Nerese Campbell in the crime drama called The Wire, and then as Felicia Marquand in the legal drama named Damages. She gained popularity and rose to stardom with her role as Maggie Lockwood in the popular medical series, Chicago Med. She has had an expansive acting career with a plethora of movies and shows that entertained many.
Marlyne Barrett’s Profile
- Real Name: Marlyne Nayokah Barrett
- Birthday: 13th September 1978
- Age in 2023: 44 years
- Occupation: American Film and Television Actress
- Weight Before: 159 pounds
- Weight Loss: 20 pounds
- Reduced Weight: 139 pounds
Is Marlyne Barrett Sick?
After three years of acting with a breast cancer storyline in the series Chicago Med, Marlyne Barrett revealed on 27th September 2022 that she had recently been diagnosed with uterine and ovarian cancer. Even though the star didn't have any family history of either ovarian or uterine cancers, the doctors found a football-sized tumor on her left ovary and uterus back in July 2022. Her battle with cancer began in the Summer of 2022 when she fell ill after a hernia operation in April of the same year. The operation caused an accumulation of fluid in her abdomen along with shortness of breath. When the doctors informed Barrett in July 2022 that she was sick and had a mass on her ovary and uterus, she was shocked and began to question her life span.
The doctors suggested that she would have to first undergo a hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus) and then take aggressive chemotherapy sessions. According to research, hair loss is one of the biggest side effects of chemo and may have a detrimental psychological impact on the patient (1). However, the actress didn't want to give chemotherapy the power to do that to her. So, she decided to shave her head on her own in front of her two babies and husband. Barrett also mentioned that she received immense support from the Chicago Med cast and crew members, with some of them shaving their heads to make her feel less alone. The star continued to shoot on set despite her battle with the fatal medical condition. She would come to work early, make sure to take naps, and also take leaves to maintain her energy levels.
Now that you know that she was battling a serious health problem, you may be wondering what led to Marlyne Barrett weight loss. Here’s everything you need to know about the change in her physical appearance and the reasons behind her weight loss journey.
How Did Marlyne Barrett Lose Weight?
Barrett was suffering from uterine and ovarian cancer which has been associated with Maggie Chicago Med weight loss. To fight this medical condition, she took chemotherapy sessions which had adverse side effects on her body and health. Studies suggest that chemo sessions may induce appetite and weight changes in patients. Some people may be less hungry than usual or not hungry at all, while others may have a ‘full feeling’ on just a little food. These changes are reported to restrict patients from getting the right nutrition, losing weight and muscle, and also becoming weaker. Hence, cancer may have been one of the biggest reasons behind her appetite changes and dramatic weight loss (2).
Another research on ovarian cancer states that this type of cancer may lead to various symptoms which may lead to weight loss. These symptoms may range from constipation, upset stomach, swellings in the belly, heartburn, and unexplained weight changes such as losing weight without even trying (3). Now you may understand what made Marlyne Barrett lose weight. She lost about 20 pounds during the process of chemotherapy and went from 159 pounds to 139 pounds. The vast difference in her physique and physical appearance garnered attention from her fans and stirred conversations on social media.
While she was losing weight and battling cancer, she continued to eat healthily and remain as much active as possible. The ultimate factor behind Marlyne Barrett weight loss was not related to any strict diet plan or fitness regimen that the actress followed. Instead, she shed pounds due to her chemo treatments and battle with uterine and ovarian cancer.
During this time, she maintained a healthy and light diet which made her feel at ease. Barrett would consume a lot of liquids like water and vegetable juices to flush out her system.
Elaborating the benefits of consuming juices, our contributor Kate Connolly, a chiropractor, naturopath, kinesiologist and energy healer, says, “Fruit and vegetable juices are massively helpful because they can go directly into your cells to cleanse, hydrate and remove toxins. Their formulation of amino acids, vitamins and minerals allow this to happen much more easily than water without placing too much stress on the digestive system and the kidneys.”
She ate simple food items such as brown rice, fresh vegetables, fruits, salads, fish, and dressings. In many case-controlled studies, higher consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with reduced risks of different types of cancers (4). The actress avoided red meat as a part of her daily meals. According to research, eating red meat and other forms of processed meats may cause an increase in the risks of various cancers (5). Hence, she stopped eating meat during her battle with cancer and in the process of chemo sessions. Further, Barret would eat big meals for lunch with her husband and would not consume anything heavy beyond 7:30 PM every day. These good diet habits helped her to remain strong and healthy.
Another reason why Maggie on Chicago Med lost weight was that she stuck with a fitness routine even while taking her chemotherapy sessions. Her workout routine was not too heavy on her body and usually combined a mix of activities which helped her veer away from a sedentary lifestyle. Along with walking on the treadmill and going on hikes as a part of her cardio exercise, Barrett also incorporated pilates into her fitness regimen. She shared that pilates helped her with the expansion of her lungs and also re-trained her breathing. According to studies, pilates is a mind-body exercise that focuses on your breathing, controlling posture, strength, flexibility, core stability, and also muscle control. Pilates exercises may be mat-based or make use of special equipment (6). Hence, pilates may be beneficial for mind, body, and overall health. Barrett did pilates about four to five times a week between her cardio sessions. Discussing the effect of cardio exercises, our contributor Kate Connolly, says, “Cardio work may or may not be useful depending on how adrenally stressed someone is. Cardio can be helpful if the person is relatively well and without too much inflammation otherwise it can activate further inflammation and cause damage. This is especially if someone suffers from allergies and has high histamine levels in their body.”
These low-impact exercises helped to activate her body and maintain a positive attitude throughout her fight with uterine and ovarian cancer.
Apart from sticking to a healthy diet and a few exercises, she also included two massage sessions each week to help her relax. These massages helped to loosen her muscles and tendons and gave her periods of deep rest. According to research, a massage may have several benefits for your health. Some of these advantages are: alertness due to neurological excitability, reduced muscle tension, increased blood flow, elevated sense of well-being, decreased body stiffness, relieve anxiety, promote relaxation, and improvement in mood (7).
All these factors such as uterine and ovarian cancer, chemotherapy sessions, a healthy diet, and a low-impact fitness regimen culminated together which led to the famous Maggie on Chicago Med weight loss journey.
Marlyne Barrett’s Before And After Weight Loss Photos
After being diagnosed with the life-threatening medical condition, the American actress quietly fought against it with support from her loved ones. Through the process of her battle, her physical appearance transformed drastically as she shaved her head and reduced in size. This happened due to the side effects of chemotherapy which relate to hair loss, weight, and appetite changes. Barrett went from 159 pounds to 139 pounds which became noticeable to her fans on the eighth series of Chicago Med. Ahead, we have put together the before and after pictures of the famous and moving Marlyne Barrett weight loss journey.
- Marlyne Barrett Before Weight Loss
- Marlyne Barrett After Weight Loss
Conclusion
Marlyne Barrett is a renowned American actress who sparked conversations on social media about her weight loss that was noticed on the eighth season of Chicago Med. Barrett was diagnosed with uterine and ovarian cancer in July 2022 which led to drastic effects on her body and overall health. The biggest reason and the story behind Marlyne Barrett weight loss is that she underwent aggressive chemotherapy sessions which eventually had a side effect on her weight and appetite. This caused her to lose about 20 pounds but she ate healthily and maintained an active lifestyle to fight the medical condition with good spirits. Her fight against cancer and willingness to regain her weight and health is an inspiration for many.
Contributor: Kate Connolly, Chiropractor, Naturopath, Kinesiologist and Energy healer
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