Veteran actress Kathy Bates has been in the entertainment industry since the ‘70s and has walked numerous red carpets throughout her career. However, one of the most special events that the actress attended was the 2024 Emmys, where she donned an exquisite Armani gown that showed off her slimmer physique. As Bates noted, she hasn’t been that slim since her college years.
In an interview with People, Bates talked about how excited she was to go to Armani and choose a gown for the Emmys. She’s lost about 100 pounds, and the weight loss allowed her to fit into the largest dress size available from the luxury fashion brand. She recalled feeling great and looking great as she posed for photos on the red carpet. “The pictures on the red carpet were so different from any pictures I’d ever had taken on a red carpet,” she said. During the interview, the actress addressed her weight loss and what prompted her to start living a healthier lifestyle.
A diabetes diagnosis
Admittedly, Bates said she used to eat terribly and enjoyed pizza, burgers, soda, and other junk food. In 2017, however, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and knew that she had to make some changes if she wanted to be healthy. The condition occurs when the body doesn’t regulate insulin properly, which results in abnormal sugar levels. Although there’s no cure for the condition, those who have type 2 diabetes are advised to eat healthy, exercise, and lose weight in order to manage symptoms, per the Mayo Clinic.
The diagnosis scared Bates, as the condition runs in her family and she has seen the devastating effects it can have. Her father was also a diabetic and had to have his leg amputated. Her sister also suffers from it and said, “It terrified me. It scared me straight.” There have been rumors that Bates lost weight due to the prescription drug Ozempic, but she put the rumors to rest and said that her weight loss was a combination of hard work and discipline over the course of six to seven years.
Bates said she started listening to her body and stopped eating when she felt full, and she also refrained from eating after 8 p.m. As a result, she gradually lost about 80 pounds. She only started taking Ozempic after she had already lost a significant amount of weight, and after consulting her doctor, she gave the medication a try. She lost about 20 more pounds as a result. “I have to impress upon people out there that this was hard work for me… and I was determined that I wasn’t going to gain the weight back.”
The benefits of weight loss
Bates is a two-time cancer survivor. She survived ovarian cancer in 2003 and breast cancer in 2012 and had a double mastectomy. Afterward, however, she was diagnosed with lymphedema, the swelling of tissues due to issues in the lymphatic system. Bates said it was the result of having lymph nodes removed during her surgery for breast cancer. Her weight loss has helped manage lymphedema, and she doesn’t need to wear compression sleeves to fit into her clothing.
Her weight loss has also helped tremendously while working on her latest show, Matlock. “I don’t have to sit down. I can stand up all day long and walk and move and breathe and do so many things that I couldn’t before,” the 76-year-old actress said.
