Over the past few years, Lizzo has become one of the hottest performers on the planet. Thanks to upbeat hits like “Good As Hell” and “Juice,” the three-time Grammy Award winner has garnered tons of attention and was even named “Entertainer of the Year” by Time magazine in 2019. She’s also been an outspoken advocate for body positivity and recently started sharing her own health transformation with the rest of the world. Here, we get the scoop on Lizzo’s weight loss journey and share some of her diet secrets.
Lizzo Wants To ‘Normalize’ Her Body
Born Melissa Viviane Jefferson on April 27, 1988, Lizzo has been considered a plus-sized celebrity since her career first took off. But while the “Cuz I Love You” singer is dedicated to helping women accept and love their bodies, she also believes that the message of the body positivity movement has been diluted by social media and commercialism.
“Now, you look at the hashtag ‘body positive,’ and you see smaller-framed girls, curvier girls. Lotta white girls. And I feel no ways about that, because inclusivity is what my message is always about. I’m glad that this conversation is being included in the mainstream narrative,” she explained to Vogue in the fall of 2020.
“What I don’t like is how the people that this term was created for are not benefiting from it. Girls with back fat, girls with bellies that hang, girls with thighs that aren’t separated, that overlap. Girls with stretch marks. You know, girls who are in the 18-plus club.”
When asked how she chooses to describe herself when it comes to body and weight issues, Lizzo says: “It’s easy. I would like to be body-normative. I want to normalize my body.”
In September 2020, the superstar was well on her way to achieving that goal by becoming the first black plus-sized woman on the cover of Vogue. The proud model shared her debut on Instagram, writing:
“I am the first big black woman on the cover of @voguemagazine. The first black anything feels overdue. But our time has come. To all my black girls, if someone like you hasn’t done it yet— BE THE FIRST.”
Lizzo’s Smoothie Cleanse Sparked A Debate On Detox Dieting
Lizzo’s weight loss journey has drawn some controversy, however. Back in December 2020, the “Truth Hurts” singer revealed that she was following a 10-day smoothie detox cleanse created by author and nutritionist J.J. Smith. Detox cleanses have been criticized by many health experts and there is little scientific evidence that they actually work. Lizzo’s announcement divided fans, with some calling her out for promoting unsafe weight loss practices and others saying she should be able to do what she wants with her body.
Pointing out the hypocrisy in some people’s comments, Lizzo took to Instagram to write:
“I detoxed my body and I’m still fat. I love my body and I’m still fat. I’m beautiful and I’m still fat. These things are not mutually exclusive. To the people who look to me, please do not starve yourselves. I did not starve myself. I fed myself greens and water and fruit and protein and sunlight. You don’t have to do that to be beautiful or healthy. That was my way. You can do life your way. Remember, despite anything anyone says or does ?DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH YOUR BODY?”
Lizzo also responded to critics directly in a TikTok video, saying: “I did the 10-day smoothie detox, and, as you know, I would normally be so afraid and ashamed to post things like this online, because I feel like, as a big girl, people just expect if you are doing something for health, you’re doing it for, like, a dramatic weight loss, and that is not the case.
“I’m so proud of myself,” she added. “I feel and look like a bad [expletive], and I think, like, that’s it. I’m a big girl who did a smoothie detox, and I wanted to share that with you guys. I got exactly what I wanted out of it, and every big girl should do whatever the [expletive] they want with their bodies.”
The ‘Truth Hurts’ Singer Has Also Gone Vegan
Lizzo has continued to make it clear that her weight loss journey is about health rather than physical appearance. Over the past year, she’s made many changes to her lifestyle to promote a healthier way of life, including becoming a vegan. This means she eats no animal products whatsoever, be it meat, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, or honey.
Last summer, the superstar shared some of her vegan secrets in a TikTok video she titled: “What I Eat in a Day: Tales from a Fat Vegan.”
Her meals included a protein-packed green smoothie for breakfast, a colorful veggie salad for lunch, vegan chips and hummus as a snack, and vegan mushroom balls for dinner. She also described a delicious smoothie dessert made by blending peanut butter, frozen strawberries, oats, oat milk, and vanilla protein powder.
“As a new vegan, I’m enjoying exploring flavors from plants & plant-based proteins,” the singer wrote alongside the video. “Every journey is personal & deserves to be celebrated.”
Lizzo Is Happy, No Matter What Her Body Looks Like
At the end of the day, Lizzo says she loves herself at any size—which is the way it should be! In a TikTok video, she compared a photo of herself from February 2020 to a photo of herself in February 2021. Though she noted that her lifestyle has drastically changed in the past year, one thing that has remained the same is her happiness.
We love watching the superstar’s wellness journey and are so glad she’s sharing her experiences with her fans.