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Lizzo Responds to Jillian Michaels’ Comments About Her Health With Empowering Message: ‘I Deserve to Be Happy’

Taking the high road. Lizzo’s response to Jillian Michaels’ comments about her health is subtle yet empowering.

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“At the 25 second mark I want you to take 5 deep breaths,” the “Juice” singer, 31, wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, January 8, alongside a video of the musician walking outside and enjoying her surroundings. “In through the nose…out through the mouth…today’s mantra is: This is my life.”

Lizzo-Responds-to-Jillian-Michael’s-Comments-About-Her-Weight
Lizzo and Jillian Michaels Sara Jaye Weiss/Shutterstock; Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

The Hustlers star added: “I have done nothing wrong. I forgive myself for thinking I was wrong in the first place. I deserve to be happy.”

The Grammy-nominated artist’s comments come after The Biggest Loser alum, 45, came under fire for suggesting that the “Good As Hell” singer’s weight will lead to diabetes during an interview with BuzzFeed News’ AM to DM on Wednesday.

“Why aren’t we celebrating her music? ‘Cause it isn’t gonna be awesome if she gets diabetes,” Michaels said at the time. “I’m just being honest.”

 

The personal trainer then noted that she and her children, Lukenisa, 9, and Phoenix, 7, “love [Lizzo’s] music, but there’s never a moment when I’m like, ‘And I’m so glad she’s overweight.’ Why do I even care? Why is it my job to care about her weight?”

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Her interview sparked a lot of backlash from celebrities and fans, beginning with actress and activist Jameela Jamil.

“Just saying… MY WHOLE DAMN THIN FAMILY HAS DIABETES AND HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND PROBLEMS WITH OUR JOINTS,” The Good Place star tweeted on Wednesday. “Why is This woman acting like she’s an MRI Stop concern-trolling fat people and get in the bin.”

The fitness guru responded to the negative comments of others by releasing a statement on Instagram later that day.

“As I’ve stated repeatedly, we are all beautiful, worthy, and equally deserving,” she wrote. “I also feel strongly that we love ourselves enough to acknowledge there are serious health consequences that come with obesity – heart disease, diabetes, cancer to name only a few. I would never wish these for ANYONE and I would hope we prioritize our health because we LOVE ourselves and our bodies.”

Whoopi Goldberg also weighed in on Michaels’ words, defending the singer and her body in the process.

“She is who she is … and if you don’t get it, then you don’t get it,” Goldberg, 64, said on the Thursday, January 9, episode of The View. “I’m thrilled that she’s a big-figured woman. I’m thrilled that she is and that she has no compunction about wearing whatever she wants to wear and she’s comfortable.”

Goldberg added, “So I do celebrate her.”

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Lizzo, who recently took a break from Twitter to avoid social media trolls, isn’t new to criticism of her weight. After one Twitter user claimed that the artist was only popular because of the “obesity epidemic in America,” the Michigan native clapped back.

“I’m popular because I write good songs and I’m talented and perform high energy hour and a half shows filled with love,” Lizzo tweeted in December 2019. “The only person who needs to do better is you.”

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