Jessica Simpson Has Had A Dramatic Weight Loss Transformation

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Jessica Simpson's weight loss journey is nothing short of inspiring. By her own admission, she's worn almost every clothing size during her decades in the spotlight, after finding fame as a trim star with a focus on looking a certain way. "When I was younger, I tried to be skinny," she told People in 2004.  But Simpson's fluctuating weight has helped her better understand the nuances of dressing women's bodies, she told "Access Hollywood." "Honestly, for The Jessica Simpson Collection it's been a beautiful thing," she said. "I do understand every body and ... and how deserving they are of fashion and style, and it's just such a natural thing for me."

Simpson has used the years of public scrutiny and constant analysis of her body to her advantage, too. "People are going to talk about [my weight] no matter what. I might as well choose to live a healthy lifestyle," she told USA Today. "[I want] to be the best version of myself and to feel great. I want to be a great mom and a great example to my kids," she added.

But Simpson's journey to being her best, healthiest self started in an unhealthy way. The "With You" hitmaker started taking weight loss pills at a young age after being told by a record executive to lose 15 pounds. "I immediately went on an extremely strict diet, and started taking diet pills, which I would do for the next 20 years," she wrote in her candid memoir "Open Book" (via People). And so began her dramatic, highly-publicized transformation.

Jessica Simpson embraced a strict diet and exercise routine to fit into the iconic Daisy Dukes she wore in the 2005 movie "The Dukes of Hazzard." The star worked with personal trainer Michael Alexander before filming began in 2004. "When I found out I got the role, I went straight to the gym," she told Warhawk Fitness. Simpson told Mirror she lost 10 pounds by following the South Beach Diet and exercised almost every day. "I trained for six days a week, two and a half hours a day ... [I] did lots of squats and lunges," she said. "I spent an hour a day running on the treadmill. I was determined to look good in those shorts." 

Simpson shared in August 2005 that she'd eased up on her diet, but lost several more inches from her waist thanks to her work in the gym. "I have cheat days now when I go to the movies and eat a bag of Peanut M&Ms," she told New Magazine (via The Denver Post). "At my first 'Dukes Of Hazzard' fitting, my waist was 26 inches. Two months later, it was 23 inches. I'm tighter, leaner, and it's the way I want it to be," she said.

Fifteen years later, the star wrote in her memoir that her body would be compared to her figure in "The Dukes of Hazzard" for the rest of her life. "[It] created a gold standard Jessica, the 'before' for every 'is she fat or is she thin' story for the rest of my career," she wrote (via People).

In 2009, Jessica Simpson was subjected to unfair criticism across the globe when photos of her wearing her now notorious high-waisted jeans made headlines (including TMZ's "Jessica Simpson: This Is How She Rolls"). But the star was far from unhealthy. Later that year, she confirmed on X that she was still working out with Michael Alexander. "Why am i still hurting from our workout earlier? I'm getting old! See you tomorrow with a pouty face and sore buns," she wrote.

The following year, Simpson hit back at body shamers on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." "I went through a lot with everybody saying that I gained all this weight and I just didn't think that was fair. Everybody was just harping on me gaining some extra pounds," she said. Five years after the unwarranted media firestorm, Simpson reflected on how the experience affected her. "What's so unbelievable is that I was probably at least 15 pounds smaller than I am right now," she told Redbook. "What's more unbelievable is that the press could create something so crazy out of a pair of jeans. What woman wants to be brought down for that?" 

But Simpson got the last laugh. She joining the ranks of celebs who owned their success after Hollywood tried to tear them down by making her clothing collection a billion-dollar brand, inspired by her knowledge of women's bodies of all shapes and sizes. "I can dress anybody there is because I have been every single size," she told People.

Jessica Simpson fell pregnant with her first child, daughter Maxwell, in 2011, and allowed herself to fully enjoy the experience. "I let myself indulge in everything I wanted because it was the first time I was ever pregnant, and I wanted to enjoy it," she told USA Today. "I didn't realize [the weight] didn't all come off with the baby," she added. The star later shared on "Good Morning America" (via ABC News) that she'd gained 50 pounds while expecting and wasn't at her most confident. "I was so insecure — I couldn't even believe what I weighed," she said. 

The following year, Simpson became the face of Weight Watchers. "I think anybody who's gone through a pregnancy, after they have the baby, it's like, 'I need to do something about this.' There's not a goal weight — I just want to feel normal," she said (via Her). Simpson later clarified in a post on X that the company had not put any pressure on her to look a certain way, writing, "I'm trying to be as healthy as I can be for myself and I feel great!" In Weight Watchers ads that aired in 2012, she confirmed she'd lost 50 pounds through the program.

Simpson fell pregnant again later that year, and Weight Watchers told ABC News she would not follow the same diet and exercise routine while expecting her second child. "Her weight and well-being are monitored by her obstetrician, as is recommended for any woman during pregnancy," a spokesperson said.

Jessica Simpson was more conscious of her health and wellbeing during her second pregnancy with her son, Ace. "I think because I had gained so much weight with my first that I had to stay active throughout my second because I didn't know what to do with myself if I didn't," she said on "Good Morning America."

The star knew the benefits of taking a walk every day and told USA Today she did between 8,000 and 10,000 steps daily. She also got back into her Weight Watchers routine after giving birth, as soon as her doctor told her it was safe. "I try and walk about 4 miles a day consistently. It makes me feel better," Simpson said, adding that having her firstborn running around made her more active than during her first pregnancy. 

The star also got into more vigorous exercise, working out with personal trainer Harley Pasternak. The fitness expert told People, "She's made incredible strides, but she knows there is more work to do. We're training to make — and keep — her a healthy, hot mom. And that's forever!" In 2015, Simpson told E! News she was dedicated to living healthy, not losing weight. "Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important to me, and fitness has been a priority in my life since having my kids," she said while promoting The Jessica Simpson Collection's fitness line. She added that her go-to exercises, in addition to walking, included lunges and squats.

Jessica Simpson endured one of the most difficult periods of her life in 2017 in the midst of an alcohol addiction. In 2021, she posted an Instagram photo of herself in a pink tracksuit around the time she decided to get sober. "This person in the early morning of Nov 1, 2017 is an unrecognizable version of myself," she wrote in the lengthy, touching caption, as she opened up about her journey that followed that day. The image showed her looking drastically different from many of her public appearances.

In a 2020 "Today" interview, Simpson said that her addiction made her look and feel like a different person. "I completely didn't recognize myself," she said. "I always had a glitter cup. It was always filled to the rim with alcohol." Three years later, she confirmed her drinking habits had contributed to her weight gain (cutting down on alcohol can be one of the best methods for depuffing the face, too). "I'm like, do people want me to be drinking again? Because that's when I was heavier," she told Bustle in 2023.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

In 2018, Jessica Simpson announced she was expecting her third child. She later shared that being pregnant again resulted in more weight gain than she expected — though she still managed to serve iconic maternity fashion. 

"I gain a lot, I mean, a lot [of weight]. I didn't expect to gain as much with my third. I thought I'd learned my lesson, but apparently, that's just the way God made me, very hungry and pregnant," she joked on HSN, while promoting a pair of jeans from her fashion line. The star also explained she wasn't expecting her body to ever return to the way it was before she became a mom. "After having kids, I don't think that your hips really ever go completely back," she said. "Your body changes!"

The businesswoman weighed 260 pounds before giving birth to her second daughter, Birdie Mae, she told Bloomberg. "She was a very big baby. We were like, 'Just take her out,'" Simpson added. The "Take My Breath Away" hitmaker also opened up about her difficult pregnancy in her well-written celebrity memoir, sharing she was hospitalized due to breathing problems. "This was kind of the pregnancy from hell. When I wasn't being hospitalized for bronchitis ... I was breaking a toilet seat leaning back," she wrote (via E! News). 

After giving birth, Jessica Simpson once again kicked her exercise into high gear, walking around 3 miles each day. "I am working really hard right now," she told People. "It's not easy at all, but I am determined to feel good ... getting my steps in not only burns calories but it also helps me clear my head and get focused." 

And working out was about more than just losing weight, Simpson reiterated. In 2020, she told People that it wasn't a compliment when fans commented on her body. "Even now, people [are] commenting on my Instagram, 'Oh, snap back?'" she said. "No, it wasn't a snap back ... when I work out, a lot of it is to release anxiety. That's one of my tools for sobriety." As well as staying active, Simpson got help from a nutritionist to improve her eating habits. Simpson told "Extra" she could fit into her old clothes again, adding that she had more energy and saying, "I feel like my old self before I had children and all the hormones going wild. I feel younger, actually."

The Teen Choice Awards winner confirmed on Instagram in September 2019 that she'd lost 100 pounds, posting a photo of herself in a black dress with a waist-cinching belt. The same month, Harley Pasternak shared the exercise regime he'd set out for Simpson, explaining they started slow and ramped things up. "We started with doing a full-body workout, one set of each exercise, not really doing too much intensity per body part and gradually increasing the volume and intensity," he told E! News.

After years of staring at the scale, Jessica Simpson confirmed in 2021 that she didn't know how much she weighed — and wasn't interested in finding out. "I just want to feel good and be able to zip my pants up. If I don't, I have another size. I have every size. I've really tried my hardest to not let that define me," she shared on "Today," admitting she'd thrown out her scale.

The former "Newlyweds" star proudly showed off her body on social media on a few occasions, including in March when she wowed her Instagram followers with a full body shot while posing in front of a black background. The beauty wore a waist-defining red button-up and flared grey pants that hugged her jaw-dropping curves. Many fans commented on her weight loss journey, including one who wrote, "You're beautiful in all sizes."

In 2022, Jessica Simpson celebrated her weight loss journey on Instagram in a poignant way. The former reality star proudly posed in a bikini for the first time in years, confirming it was the third time she'd hit the milestone of losing 100 pounds. "I have gained and lost 100lbs 3x so I never thought this moment could or would happen, but I'm finally spring breakin' wearin' a BIKINI!!!!!! Hard work. Determination. Self Love. I enjoyed a good proud cry today," she wrote. 

The gorgeous snap, which had more than 285,000 likes at the time of writing, showed the "I Wanna Love You Forever" singer smiling as she snapped a high-angle selfie in a floral and paisley-print two-piece. Fans were floored by her figure and her honesty, with one commenting, "I'm so proud of you. You are beautiful, without a doubt!!!"

Speaking on "The Real" in 2022, Simpson explained she'd lost her most recent 100 pounds over three years. "I call it 'determined patience,'" she said. "The small goals for me are what helped me achieve the main goal." The "Employee of the Month" actor said posing in a bikini wasn't her aim when she started improving her lifestyle, explaining, "[W]hen I put that two-piece on, I got super emotional and I was like, 'I did this!' ... It was just like in the moment and I wanted to share it with everyone because I was very proud of myself for doing what at times felt completely impossible." And so she should be.

Jessica Simpson had kept the weight off by 2023, which sparked rumors she may have turned to weight loss injections, such as Ozempic — much like the rumors Lizzo faced amid her weight loss transformation. But the star was quick to shut down the haters. "Oh Lord. I mean, it is not [Ozempic], it's willpower," she said in her 2023 interview with Bustle. "Am I going to let the negativity derail me? No, I'm too old for that. I am too connected to myself right now to let that derail me. It doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt." 

That same year, Simpson proudly displayed the results of her willpower when she slipped back into a pair of Daisy Dukes. During a photoshoot for The Jessica Simpson Collection posted to Simpson's Instagram, the beauty posed inside a phone box in denim shorts very similar to the pair she rocked in the 2005 movie. And fans couldn't get enough. "You go girl! Stay healthy!" one fan commented. "Jessica, you look awesome!" another wrote.

Simpson also opened up about the effect of her body image journey and repeated weight loss on her three children. She explained she was careful about what her kids were exposed to so they didn't develop unhealthy habits. "I try to not complain about myself in front of them. I try to not diet. I try to not do any of that stuff," she told "Access Hollywood." "They just see me living a healthy lifestyle." And as Jessica Simpson has taught us, that's far more important than any number on a scale.