Charles Barkley recently opened up about his weight-loss journey on live television, while hosting Oprah Winfrey on his CNN show ‘King Charles’ with Gayle King. Barkley, aged 61, faced tough struggles due to his weight, especially during his playing career. Speaking to Winfrey and Gayle King, Charles admitted to having used the drug Mounjaro, which is similar to Ozempic, after being prescribed by a doctor.
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“I started taking Mounjaro, and I’ve lost 65lbs,” said the former Philadelphia 76ers player on his show.
Mounjaro is usually prescribed, alongside diet and exercise, to help patients with Type 2 Diabetes improve their blood sugar levels. The ‘Inside Edition’ curated a report on this trend.
Barkley also admitted that it is a struggle for most people to acquire a prescription for this drug for their regular weight-loss journey. At this point, the drug is in high demand due to celebrity backing, which is leading to its shortage. Though the drug has its side effects, Oprah Winfrey greatly endorsed the drug, stating obesity as a severe disease that requires significant concern within the mainstream.
This isn’t the first time Chuck has admitted to using this drug for his weight-loss journey. Last year, Barkley appeared on ‘Pat McAfee’s Podcast’ and stated that he had lost 62 lbs, going down from 352 lbs to 270 lbs after following his doctor’s instructions. Chuck said, “I’m working out, I’m taking my shot once a week.”
Mounjaro and Ozempic have been a common drug used by many Hollywood A-listers for losing weight. Celebrities such as Kyle Richards have also been accused of using Ozempic for their weight-loss journeys. However, ‘The Real Housewives of Beverley Hills’ star shut down all such allegations last year in January.
Charles Barkley had to struggle with his weight during his playing days
Though Charles Barkley might have had a legendary NBA career, the league’s most significant concern regarding him was with his weight. Entering as a rookie in 1984, Chuck weighed over 300 lbs, considered quite overweight for a professional athlete of his draft class. However, being selected as the 5th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the draft, Barkley had no motivation to shed that weight as he already considered himself a valuable player.
The Sixers veteran Moses Malone inspired Barkley to start his weight loss journey early in his career. Malone ensured that Sir Charles stuck to a strict diet and workout regimen that would allow him to shred at least 50 lbs, bringing him to the 250 lbs range. Malone, who was signed with Nike at that time, sought the help of the legendary executive Howard White to help Chuck in this endeavor.
On the ‘Steam Room Podcast’ with Ben Affleck, Chuck thanked Malone for urging him into this and credited the Sixers veteran for ‘saving his life.’
Though Barkley might not have won championships during his tenure, he still had a legendary NBA career. The Sixers legend is an 11x NBA All-Star and part of the 1992 Olympics Dream Team that won a gold medal in Barcelona. In 2006, Barkley was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player, and in 2010 as a member of Team USA.
