“I like proving people wrong”- Ricki Lake says she lost over 30 pounds without taking Ozempic despite her doctor pushing for the medication

Former talk show host Ricki Lake recently opened up about her weight loss journey and how she did it without any medication. During her appearance on Good Morning America on Thursday, May 9, the 55-year-old actress discussed how she was motivated to shed pounds after her doctor's insistance on taking medication.

When questioned if the doctor was suggesting using Ozempic, she replied in the affermative but explained:

"The doctor was pushing it for people who were overweight. And he was saying you weren't going to be successful without it, is what he said to me, really. And I like a challenge. And I like proving people wrong. And so it p*ssed me off. I just was reluctant, and I wanted to give it a go on my own."

To be noted, Ozempic is a Type-2 diabetes drug that is sometimes prescribed (off-label) for weight-loss management. It is not FDA-approved for this purpose.

Lake began her acting career playing the lead in the 1988 cult classic Hairspray, and has since appeared in movies like Last Exit to Brooklyn and Inside Monkey Zetterland. She is best remembered for hosting her namesake talk show, Ricki Lake, beginning in 1993.

Throughout her career, Ricki Lake has been open about her weight and health struggles. However, the former talk show host told GMA she made a "lifestyle change." She added this was the "best" she has felt in life.

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"We were carrying this extra weight" - Ricki Lake reveals she and her husband began weight-loss journey in fall 2023

Talking to ABC New's Kayna Witworth (for GMA) about her fitness journey, Ricki Lake revealed she and her husband, Ross Burningham, dove into it together:

"I have this new marriage and I'm so blissfully happy with this amazing man, my perfect man. And if I pinpoint one thing that was not working in our lives, is that we were carrying this extra weight."

Lake met Burningham through a mutual friend and began dating in 2020. They tied the knot in January 2022. The 55-year-old explained they "made a pact" to motivate each other.

Elaborating that they met in their 50's, she added that she wanted to "feel as good as (she) can for as long as (she) can." She told GMA that it involved "daily exercise, mindfulness practice, good sleep, and a lot of fun."

The actress told Kayna it was both a time and financial commitment. They began intermittent fasting, maintained a keto diet, and followed an exercise routine that included pilates and sleep tracking. She revealed she lost 35 pounds, and her husband lost almost 40 pounds.

Ricki Lake first shared her weight-loss journey in February 2024 through an Instagram post where she wrote:

"On October 26th, 2023 I made a commitment to myself to get healthier."

She shared snaps of her and her husband, Ross, on their daily hike.

She has since been flaunting off her new look by re-wearing her famous swimsuit she donned for the cover of the May 2007 issue of US Weekly and later the dress she wore at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.

Ross too praised Ricki Lake's "dedication" to her weight-loss journey. Calling her "tenacious," Burningham said on GMA:

"When she decides that she's going to do something, she's all in and just goes after it."

Ricki added that she is "so proud" of what they accomplished.