Maya Rudolph has played wonderfully funny characters, from starring as a melodramatic fiancée in Bridesmaids to her roster of impressions on Saturday Night Live. Most recently, she made everyone smile when filming a “we are not the same person” video with Kamala Harris, and we need those good vibes before Nov. 5. Besides celebrating her comedic talent, fans have also noticed Rudolph’s weight loss.
Every year, the actress plays even a handful of lovable characters, whether Molly Wells on Loot or lending her voice to the adorable pink alligator in IF. And fans continue to support her awesome career. But, of course, they’re also eager to know about her life outside of SNL and hosting Baking It. So, it’s time to hear about Rudolph’s weight loss.
How did Maya Rudolph lose weight?
Rudolph explained that she gained weight when she was pregnant, which is not only relatable but also totally normal and expected. She shared that she put on 70 pounds when she was expecting Pearl Bailey, her oldest child. She hasn’t given details about how she lost the weight. But, as The Sun pointed out, since she mentioned that junk food consumption is what led to her weight gain, it’s possible that focusing more on healthier foods is what helped her drop the pounds.
In an interview with People, the actress said she was “eating pancakes and ice cream every day,” which led to the weight gain. Life is cruel because you should be able to eat carbs and sugar without putting on the pounds, right?
However, there is an explanation as to why this happens. As Healthline shared, your body produces less of Peptide YY (which controls how hungry you get) and more of ghrelin (a hormone which makes you feel hungry) when you have foods that contain added sugar. So that’s why eating a stack of blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes feels like a breeze! The publication also pointed out that you don’t always feel as full when you eat treats or carb-heavy foods, which can make you consume more calories than you were planning to. But, if someone goes lower-carb or keto and doesn’t consume healthy fats, they could feel starving. So you’re hungrier if you eat carbs and hungry if you don’t. Why is the world like this?!
Rudolph added that when she put on weight when she was pregnant, people asked if she was expecting twins and called her “huge” which is a reminder that talking about the size of a pregnant woman’s belly (or body in general) is gross.
The actress and comedian hasn’t spoken much about her weight, but she did tell Yahoo! Style, “I’ve been, like, 30 sizes in the last 10 years.” When so many celebs are trying to get smaller, I love that Rudolph said that. Although Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson aren’t married (that just makes them cooler), they’re parents to four kids: Pearl Anderson, Lucille, Jack, and Minnie.
The “bounce back” and “returning to your pre-pregnancy weight” narrative is damaging to everyone, and it’s definitely a nuanced conversation. There’s nothing wrong with embracing your current post-baby size or choosing to focus on healthy weight loss if that’s what you want to do. However Rudolph lost the weight, she seems content with her life, from her family to her career, and that’s the most important piece of the puzzle.
