Oprah Winfrey simply turned 70, and she or he’s reflecting on the milestone in an essay that lays out simply how far she’s come on her well being journey.

The cultural icon shared the essay in Oprah Every day, and included ideas on her well being, in addition to her weight, which has been the topic of public hypothesis and scrutiny for many years.

She shared that she had come throughout a two-page handwritten letter from her pal Gayle King that was dated April 17, 1992.

“In it she says, ‘I’m so sorry it’s important to undergo this,’” Oprah wrote. “Based mostly on her condolences, I believe it had one thing to do with as soon as once more being publicly shamed about my weight. Nevertheless, the ‘this’ was not clearly said, and I can’t recall what was the reason for me such anguish.”

However Oprah stated she’s discovered methods to transfer previous that. “What I’ve realized is that every little thing passes,” she stated. “And in the event you don’t write down the particular ache or heartache, you gained’t even keep in mind it. These of you in my age vary know this to be true.”

As she defined, Oprah’s weight reduction journey has been within the headlines for many years, and lately, it is cropped again up as individuals have seen her match determine on crimson carpets throughout Hollywood. The media mogul hasn’t been shy about crediting her current weight reduction to a holistic strategy to well being, together with common train, wholesome consuming, and, sure, weight reduction medicine.

Forward, here is every little thing she’s shared about her weight reduction journey.

How did Oprah shed pounds?

Oprah’s 2021 knee surgical procedure really jumpstarted her current weight reduction.

“After [my] knee surgical procedure, I began climbing and setting new distance objectives every week. I might ultimately hike three to 5 miles on daily basis and a 10-mile straight-up hike on weekends,” Oprah informed PEOPLE. “I felt stronger, fitter and extra alive than I’d felt in years.”

Working in the direction of these health objectives additionally helped Oprah obtain a private purpose. “In Hawaii, I stay on a mountain, and there’s this massive hill—I used to look out the window each morning and say, ‘God, in the future I need to stroll up that mountain,'” she stated in her PEOPLE cowl story. “Final yr over Christmas I did it… It felt like redemption.”

Oprah’s additionally been a WeightWatchers ambassador since 2015 (she even owns 10 p.c of shares within the firm, and serves as a board member and advisor, the corporate introduced again in 2015), and nonetheless makes use of this system to assist her keep a nutritious diet. “I eat my final meal at 4 o’clock, drink a gallon of water a day, and use the WeightWatchers ideas of counting factors,” she informed PEOPLE.

In December, Oprah shared with PEOPLE that she was near her “purpose weight” of 160 kilos, however emphasised that her journey was not a couple of quantity however somewhat about dwelling a extra vibrant life.

Did Oprah use weight-loss drugs?

In September 2023, the multihyphenate hosted Oprah Every day’s “The State of Weight” panel. At the moment, she shared that she wasn’t concerned about taking weight reduction medicine. “Should not all of us simply be extra accepting of no matter physique you select to be in? That ought to be your selection,” she stated. “Even after I first began listening to in regards to the weight reduction medicine, on the similar time I used to be going by way of knee surgical procedure, and I felt, ‘I’ve obtained to do that alone.’ As a result of if I take the drug, that is the simple method out.'”

However in December 2023, Oprah Winfrey opened as much as PEOPLE about how her perspective on weight reduction medicine has modified over time.

“I now use it [weight loss medication] as I really feel I would like it, as a device to handle not yo-yoing,” Oprah informed the publication, with out naming the particular drug she takes. “The truth that there is a medically-approved prescription for managing weight and staying more healthy, in my lifetime, seems like reduction, like redemption, like a present, and never one thing to cover behind and as soon as once more be ridiculed for. I’m completely finished with the shaming from different individuals and significantly myself.”

However she emphasised that weight reduction medicine has not been a “magic bullet” in managing her weight. “It’s every little thing,” she stated, referencing her well being and health routine. “I do know all people thought I used to be on it, however I labored so rattling onerous. I do know that if I’m not additionally figuring out and vigilant about all the opposite issues, it doesn’t work for me.”

Oprah additionally shared that she took the medicine earlier than Thanksgiving “as a result of I knew I used to be going to have two stable weeks of consuming.” As an alternative of gaining eight kilos like she did final yr, she gained half a pound, per the publication.

However Oprah additionally made it clear that everybody’s weight reduction journey is completely different. “No matter your selection is to your physique and your weight well being, it ought to be yours to personal and to not be shamed about it,” she stated.” “I am simply sick of it, and I hope this dialog begins the un-shaming of it.”

Plus, she’s additionally realized to let go of the disgrace she’s lengthy felt about her physique. “I spotted I’d been blaming myself all these years for being chubby, and I’ve a predisposition that no quantity of willpower goes to manage,” Oprah informed PEOPLE. “…I had an consciousness of [weight loss] drugs, however felt I needed to show I had the willpower to do it. I now not really feel that method.”

Watch Oprah converse candidly about her relationship with weight and disgrace beneath:

How does Oprah train?

The cardio queen does extra than simply climbing. She informed The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 that she hits her dwelling health club quickly after waking up. “I’ve a implausible Octane elliptical machine that is sort of a energy mover—you may improve the size of your stride and your arm motion,” she stated. “I’ll do 20 minutes on the elliptical and half-hour strolling on the treadmill. I begin out on the Stage 3 incline setting after which each minute I add to the incline till I get to 12 or 15. After which I do sit-ups.”

After getting her coronary heart price up, Oprah stated she’ll typically settle down with 10 to twenty minutes of a strolling or sitting meditation.

Regardless of her dedication to health, Oprah nonetheless does not like to work out.

“Right here’s the factor about train: I nonetheless hate it a lot,” she stated on As we speak in 2020, per Individuals. However, she added, “I nonetheless do it.”

“I believe everybody’s ready to like it,” she continued. “You’re not going to like it, however you do the factor you could do to make your self really feel entire and nicely.”

Korin Miller is a contract author specializing basically wellness, sexual well being and relationships, and way of life tendencies, with work showing in Males’s Well being, Ladies’s Well being, Self, Glamour, and extra. She has a grasp’s diploma from American College, lives by the seashore, and hopes to personal a teacup pig and taco truck in the future.