Oprah Winfrey has credited her partner, Stedman Graham, for his unwavering support during her decades-long journey with weight fluctuations. In a recent interview with People, the media mogul reflected on how Graham, her partner of nearly four decades, stood by her through every stage of her health transformation.
Winfrey, 71, noted that they first met when she weighed approximately 200 pounds, emphasizing that her size “never made one iota of a difference” to him. Despite his consistent encouragement, she recalled moments of self-consciousness, such as attending a 1988 Mike Tyson boxing match where Tyson’s announced weight of 218 pounds made her acutely aware of her own body. “Here’s this handsome guy sitting with somebody who weighs as much as the heavyweight champion,” she remembered thinking.
In her new book, Enough: Your Health, Your Weight and What It’s Like to Be Free, Winfrey wrote about initially feeling “sorry” for Graham in that moment but later realizing the shame existed only in her own mind. She affirmed that their relationship has grown stronger since she began using GLP-1 medication to manage her weight, adding that all her relationships have improved due to increased energy and clarity.
After facing public speculation about Ozempic, Winfrey confirmed in late 2023 that she uses weight-loss medication as a tool to avoid “yo-yoing” and end self-shaming. She described the treatment as “relief, like redemption,” and noted an unexpected benefit: it helped her quit alcohol. “I literally had 17 shots one night. I haven’t had a drink in years—I no longer even have a desire for it,” she revealed.
Now feeling “more alive and vibrant,” Winfrey has embraced her transformed self, stating she hardly recognizes the woman she’s become but celebrates her newfound happiness. She no longer attributes her weight struggles to a lack of willpower, concluding, “I stopped blaming myself.”