Oprah’s Tiny Post-Thanksgiving Meal Angers Fans Amid Major Weight Loss

Oprah Winfrey is celebrating the holiday season with a very different kind of Thanksgiving feast, one that reflects her ongoing 50-pound weight loss transformation. The 71-year-old media icon shared a reel on Instagram giving fans a look at her “little turkey sandwich,” proudly showcasing the portion-controlled leftovers she’ll be enjoying for the next few days. The post comes nearly two years after she publicly revealed that she uses weight-loss medication, such as Ozempic or Wegovy, as a tool to maintain her health and prevent yo-yo dieting. Her latest video highlights the mindful habits she’s adopted since beginning her journey.

In the short Instagram reel, Oprah stands beside a spacious kitchen counter with a small plate in front of her. Wearing fitted pink leggings and a navy scoop-neck top, the talk-show legend explains that the day after Thanksgiving is her favorite part of the holiday. She then reveals her tiny plate of leftovers: a turkey sandwich made with Parker House rolls and cranberry sauce. The sandwich, cut neatly into two halves, reflects the dramatically reduced portions Oprah has embraced since her weight-loss transformation.

After assembling the top of the roll and lifting the plate, she raises it toward the camera and declares, “Here’s to leftovers!” The caption echoed the same sentiment, reading, “Here’s to Thanksgiving leftovers! My meal for the next few days,” with a turkey-leg emoji.

Oprah’s followers also noticed her noticeably slimmer frame. Her pink leggings and fitted navy top highlighted her continued weight-loss progress, while her hair, pulled back with a thick headband, and smart watch signaled a fitness-focused routine. But not everyone was thrilled with her.

"I truly dislike this hypocrite," one individual expressed. Another wrote, "She’s such a tool," as a third chimed in, "Such a joke that she pretends to be a weight loss guru."

In late 2023, Oprah opened up about taking weight-loss medication and described it as a helpful tool that allows her to stay in control of her health. She told PEOPLE that she now uses the medication “as I feel I need it,” noting its role in preventing the cycle of dramatic weight fluctuations she experienced earlier in her life. She emphasized that having access to a medically approved prescription for managing weight felt like “relief,” “redemption,” and “a gift.”

Oprah also made it clear that she is finished with self-criticism, and external criticism, surrounding her body and her choices. She explained that she has recommended weight-loss medications to others as well, believing they can help people maintain long-term health.

Before embracing weight-loss medication as part of her health journey, Oprah Winfrey was openly critical of drugs like Ozempic, previously dismissing them as an “easy way out.” For years, she rejected the idea of turning to prescription aids, even as she battled decades of yo-yo dieting, public scrutiny, and intense pressure surrounding her weight.

However, Winfrey soon stressed that she was “done with the shaming,” explaining that she decided to use the medication alongside healthier routines like regular exercise and hiking. She revealed that she once weighed as much as 237 pounds, and that finding a combination that worked for her without judgment finally allowed her to feel in control of her health.

Earlier this year, Oprah Winfrey acknowledged a revelation that challenged the beliefs she’d carried for most of her adult life. After finally trying a GLP-1 medication, she said the experience reframed her understanding of weight loss, discipline, and the long-standing assumption that success simply comes down to willpower.

Winfrey admitted she once believed “thin people” were naturally more disciplined, that they made smarter food choices and could override cravings through determination alone. But using a medically approved weight-management drug showed her that biology plays a far greater role than she ever realized. The shift prompted her to rethink the stigma surrounding weight and to reevaluate the judgment she had directed both inward and outward for decades.

For Oprah, this chapter isn’t about willpower anymore. It’s about truth.