Motivation from Oprah

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Motivation from Oprah

Who better than Oprah to inspire us on this Christmas? Oprah has built herself into a legend and given back in the process. With a net worth around $3 billion, Oprah is reported to give at least 10% of her annual earnings to charity. By 2012 she had already donated over $400 million to education charities. Earlier this year Oprah partnered with the Rock to provide $10 million in direct payments to people in Maui who were displaced by Hurricane Dora.

Oprah’s body has long been in the public eye. Early in her career she was described publicly as “Dumpy, Frumpy and Downright Lumpy.” Oprah recalls feeling sad and hurt by the comments but accepted them as her fault. Not only did her body image take up space in magazine articles, it occupied space in Oprah’s brain. For fifty years, it created a yo-yo like feeling for Oprah which made her wonder why she couldn’t just conquer weight loss with more willpower. She considered it a failing of hers.

No longer does she consider it a failing nor does she let it take up her precious mental space. Oprah recently shared with People Magazine that she has a better handle on managing the mental side of her body image and an improved strategy for maintaining a healthy long-term weight. The improved strategy is a holistic approach that includes regular exercise and lifestyle tweaks like drinking a gallon of water of day, having her last meal at 4pm and taking weight loss medication as a ‘Maintenance Tool’.

The strategy is producing results. Since her knee surgery in 2021, Oprah has seen a steady decrease in her weight and a consistent increase in the distances that she is able to hike causing her to feel “stronger, more fit and more alive” than she has in years.

What can we take from Oprah’s weight loss journey to inspire us this holiday season?

1. There’s always room for improvement: Oprah has accomplished an incredible amount in her life yet there was still room for her to improve. Her recent commitment to a healthy lifestyle has created a stronger and more fit version of herself. If Oprah can improve at age 69, there’s room for improvement in all of us.

2. It’s not just about the number. Oprah is seven pounds above her goal weight of 160 lbs but shared that the goal is not just about the number. Instead, she’s content continuing to build on the progress that she has made, which is helping her to live a more vital and vibrant life. It’s good to set goals and work hard to achieve them but realize that the goal should serve as a motivator for progress instead of a destination.

3. There’s rarely a silver bullet. We all like simplified versions of the story but there is rarely just one reason for improved performance. Oprah’s weight loss was driven by a combination of an improved mentality, regular exercise, commitment to a diet and the addition of a weight loss drug. While it’d be nice to think that only one major action can create the desired outcome, like Oprah’s weight loss journey, it’s generally a holistic approach that produces results.

   Thank you for inspiring us Oprah. Happy Christmas!