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Star Jones Reynolds Finally Admits to Gastric Bypass Surgery
Tuesday July 31, 2007

Star Jones
Star Jones Reynolds of Court TV's "Star Jones" during the Turner Summer TCA press tour in Beverly Hills, CA. July 15, 2007.
Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com; Courtesy of Glamour

After years of speculation, Star Jones Reynolds admits to evading questions about her weight-loss surgery and opens up about how she dropped 160 pounds in three years.

In a first-person essay in the September issue of Glamour, the former View cohost confesses that she underwent gastric bypass surgery on August 19, 2003, after her weight reached an all-time high of 307 pounds.

Reynolds, 45, reveals that she decided to seek medical help for her weight problem after a close friend sat her down and asked, “So, what are we going to do about your weight?”

See excerpts below from Reynolds’ essay as she talks about her battle with obesity and how her life has changed since the surgery.

On keeping her surgery a secret:
“I admit that when asked about my obvious weight loss over the past four years, I was intentionally evasive. Lying was never an option for me, so I called it a ‘medical intervention,’ which was true, but it was really a pathetic attempt to tell only the truth I could handle at the time.”


“First, I didn’t know if the surgery would work. I had never stuck to a diet or committed to exercise for more than a month, and I had spent my entire adult life telling everyone that I was fine with the way I looked…I was also terrified someone would have a tragic result after emulating me without making an informed decision with her doctor.”

On comfort food:
“Whenever I felt lonely, a Double Whopper cheeseburger became my friend. If I felt sad, six strips of bacon made me feel better…but I convinced myself I was phat, not fat.”

On facing the truth:
“I was so angry. How had I allowed myself to get to 307 pounds? I could clearly remember the days when I’d considered myself fly and curvaceous. Funny – or sad – how we ‘thick’ girls can justify being excessively overweight.”

On growing up heavy:
“While I thank my parents for the confidence they managed to instill in me, in hindsight I wish I had shouted: ‘Put that fork down and get active!’”

On being overweight:
“I pretended not to see how big I was getting – but not only did I see it, I was disgusted by it. I also pretended not to see the side looks and smirks from friends and strangers, or to comprehend the backhanded compliments I often received, such as ‘You have such a pretty face.’”

On what she’s learned from the experience:
“I’m not saying that in order to be happy, women need to be a certain size, but I am saying that we should all strive to be healthy.”

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