Chrissy Metz’s Weight Loss Secrets: How She Lost 100 Pounds

Chrissy Metz’s portrayal of Kate Pearson on the hit NBC show This Is Us has garnered many positive reviews from critics and viewers alike.

The actress takes hard-hitting storylines in stride, such as dealing with body image, fraught relationships with parents, and weight loss.

One of the main story arcs that Metz’s character deals with is losing weight; her real-life counterpart has been more than forthcoming about her weight loss journey. Metz revealed that she identified with Kate’s struggles, which was one of the reasons Metz was so excited to be cast in This Is Us.

Fans love Chrissy Metz for being a symbol of body positivity (Credit: WENN / Avalon)

“Here was this woman who was actually dealing with weight. Not like, ‘Oh my God, I gained a pound,’” Metz said in an interview with THR,

“She was a real woman who was really struggling, and all I could think was, ‘Oh my God, I’m Kate.’”

Why Is Chrissy Metz So Heavy?

Like her on-screen character, the actress is open and honest with fans about her lifelong struggle with weight and body image.

Metz told THR that she has always been self-conscious about her weight, even as a child who was “born chubby.” Like Kate, Metz says that her parents did not understand how to help their child, leading her to become even more self-conscious.

“I remember going to Weight Watchers when I was like 11,” Metz says. “I was the youngest person in the damned room, and it was awkward. My mom was trying to figure it out, but it’s a process.”

Chrissy Metz gained and lost 100 pounds within a short period of time (Credit: Sheri Determan / WENN)

While the actress encourages fans that want to lose weight to go about it safely and healthily, she admits that she has tried crash diets before. Metz began her acting career in 2017, telling People that she was a perfectly normal size 12 at the time.

At the recommendation of her manager, she lost 50 pounds before moving to Los Angeles. Even still, she wasn’t booking any gigs. Metz says that this was a huge hit to her mental health, leading her to binge eat by “eating her feelings,” resulting in gaining 100 pounds.

Does Chrissy Metz Lose Weight in This Is Us?

Metz shocked fans in an interview with TVLine, revealing that her This Is Us contract stipulates that she must lose weight as her character does to reflect the storyline.

The cast of This Is Us, winners of Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, pose in the press room during the 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 21, 2018, in Los Angeles, California (Credit: Faye Sadou / Media Punch / INSTARimages)

“That was a win-win for me,” Metz said. “Because it’s one thing to try to do it on your own. But as human beings, it’s an ego thing: we’re more likely to do something for someone else.”

This clause in her contract was an outrage for some fans, who were adamant that the actress should not have to do this. Still, Metz says that it is her choice to lose weight and that she loves herself all the same.

Chrissy Metz in a pink dress and metallic sandals at the 2021 InStyle Awards at The Getty Center on November 15, 2021 in Los Angeles, California (Credit: MEGA / WENN)

“I was kind of like, ‘I hope I get to lose weight.’ That’s a win-win for me — motivated in a different way this time,” Metz said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in December 2016.

“It wasn’t mandated. It wasn’t like, ‘You have to do this.’ But if this is the story line, naturally you would lose weight. So I’m excited if that should happen.”

“Like most actors, we are chameleons,” Metz explained about her weight loss in the drama. “We play different roles — like Christian Bale lost all that weight for The Machinist.”

Chrissy Metz in a red off-the-shoulder dress by Christian Siriano at the 92nd Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 9, 2020, in Hollywood, California (Credit: WENN / Avalon)

In 2017, Metz told People that even though she loves her body, she is still working to be healthier, asserting that her weight loss is for her own benefit—not for anyone else. She says, “I want to have a fit, healthy body and not have to be put in a box. I don’t want to be limited by anything.”

Recently, the actress has been showing off a significant weight loss, appearing happy, healthy, and confident in front of the press. Of course, this led fans to wonder, “How did she do it?”

Chrissy Metz was motivated to lose weight but not forced to shed pounds for her role as Kate Pearson in the American drama television series This Is Us (Credit: NBC / YouTube)

In the first season of This Is Us, Metz’s on-screen counterpart, Kate, plays with the idea of getting gastric bypass surgery. Metz says that she did not—and doesn’t plan to—have surgery to lose weight.

The actress told Today, “The question I wish people would stop asking me is, ‘Are you having weight-loss surgery? Are you gonna be doing a gastric bypass?’ . . . I’m good, boo.”

Actress Chrissy Metz wearing a Coyan dress, Anabela Chan earrings, and a Jared Lehr ring arrives at the 72nd Annual Directors Guild Of America Awards held at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel at L.A. Live on January 25, 2020, in Los Angeles, California, United States (Credit: Avalon / WENN)

Metz admitted that the catalyst for her weight loss journey happened in 2010. She awoke in the middle of the night, having severe heart palpitations. Of the incident, she said, “I’m like, What is this? Am I dying? What’s happening? It was really scary — really, really, really scary.”

The actress went to the hospital, where the doctors concluded that what she was experiencing was a panic attack, but that her weight likely played a role, telling Metz, “You can’t continue on this path.”

This Is Us cast members Milo Ventimiglia, Justin Hartley, Jon Huertas, Susan Kelechi Watson, Chrissy Metz, Chris Sullivan, Mandy Moore, and Sterling K. Brown attend the 39th Annual PaleyFest LA at Dolby Theatre on April 2, 2022, in Hollywood, California (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)

After that, Metz was determined to make a change. “I was so gung ho, I lost 100 lbs. in less than five months,” she said in an interview with People. Although she lost a significant amount of weight, Metz says that she learned from her past mistakes and didn’t turn to crash dieting or depriving herself of calories. In fact, her weight loss method was as simple as a few lifestyle changes.

“All I did was eat a 2,000-calorie diet and walk 20 minutes a day,” the actress said.

Chris Sullivan and Chrissy Metz are co-stars on the NBC drama series This Is Us, where they play husband and wife (Credit: Avalon / WENN)

In addition to making an effort to improve her physical health, Metz said that she had to prioritize her mental health, too. She admitted to People that she often found herself reading or focusing on spirituality to stay strong and stick to her healthy lifestyle.

Metz said that a breakthrough for her was understanding that she was worthy and “good enough”, no matter what she looked like. “I realized that … at the core of who we are, we’re these perfect beings,” Metz remarked. “And we’re not taught that.”

Metz went on to say that even though she has lost quite a few pounds and is still continuing on her weight loss journey, she believes there is nothing wrong with your size. In fact, she thinks you look great!

Chrissy Metz has always been open about her weight loss journey and body fluctuations (Credit: Nicky Nelson / WENN)

“I just have to be very clear,” Metz continued, “Whether or not I lose weight or stay the same, it’s purely a choice of mine for health. Not because I think that plus size, curvy, voluptuous, big bodies aren’t attractive—because I think they’re awesome and sexy.”

Fascinating Facts About Chrissy Metz

In July 2022, Chrissy Metz expressed her disappointment about being snubbed at the 2022 Emmy Awards, following This Is Us receiving only one nomination in the Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics category.

As the show’s final season, many expected more recognition. Chrissy shared her thoughts on social media, emphasizing the show’s impact on people’s lives and expressing surprise that Dan Fogelman and Mandy Moore’s work was not recognized. She acknowledged her feelings of disappointment but also expressed gratitude and perspective.

“When there are people who are so innately, incredibly gifted and talented who write a show — Dan Fogelman — and who act and star in a show — Mandy Moore — that don’t get recognized for their beautiful work? And the way that they have changed people’s lives and hearts and minds, and for the connective tissue between other human beings, and they don’t get recognized for it? …I understand it’s not everything, honey, but it’s something,” she wrote on Instagram.

“I am entitled to feel disappointment and also filled with such love and gratitude. Thank you universe for offering such serious perspective,” Metz added in another post.

Chrissy Metz, in a floral maxi dress, arrives to promote her children’s book on NBC’s “Today” show on February 13, 2023, in New York City (Credit: Roger Wong / INSTARImages / Cover Images)

In February 2023, she stopped by NBC’s “Today” show to promote her new book in a Sweet Escape maxi dress from Unique Vintage featuring a mint and coral floral print.

Drawing on her deep faith, Chrissy Metz collaborated with her boyfriend, songwriter Bradley Collins, to create her first children’s book, When I Talk to God, I Talk About You, which you can buy on Amazon.

“The inspiration was to provide a relatable, simplified version of what has helped us in our life, which is having a relationship with God and being able to pray to and with Him,” Metz told Publishers Weekly.

“We wrote it for any reader who was curious about how to talk or pray to God or to their higher power. It can be very overwhelming, this very big concept of, ‘Who is God? How do I talk to Him?’”

Chrissy Metz and her boyfriend Bradley Collins partnered together to create her first children’s book, titled When I Talk to God, I Talk About You, which draws on Chrissy’s deep faith (Credit: Roger Wong / INSTARImages / Cover Images)

“I felt like I understand [kids] in a different way than people who haven’t taught preschoolers. Kids are such visual learners, so the illustrations were so important,” she explained. “Lisa Fields, our illustrator, really nailed the tenderness, but also the emotion behind every single animal.”

“My grandmother always said that singing is like praying twice. And I just thought that was appropriate. And then we were just doing instrumental for the audiobook I read, and then the words and the song sort of just fell out,” Metz told Today.

“We wrote 10 songs in like 4 days, which is unheard of for both of us.”

Mandy Moore at the 10th Television Academy Honors held at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills on June 8, 2017 (Credit: Nicky Nelson / WENN)

Mandy Moore, Chrissy Metz’s This Is Us co-star, may have gotten her career start as a ’90s teenybopper, but she’s gone on to create an impressive portfolio of work.

After the actress left quite an impression with The Princess Diaries, Mandy created an A-list body of work, including “A Walk to Remember” and Disney’s “Tangled.”

Mandy later jumped to the small screen with the drama television series “This Is Us,” which premiered on NBC on September 20, 2016.

Mandy shined on the carpet in a Lela Rose dress (Credit: Nicky Nelson / WENN)

The actress has received plenty of recognition for her role as Rebecca Pearson (née Malone), the wife of Miguel Rivas (Milo Ventimiglia).

Mandy Moore is proud of her big feet and wears size 10 shoes (Credit: Nicky Nelson / WENN)

In June 2017, Mandy was spotted at the 10th Television Academy Honors held at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, celebrating her work on the show.

Mandy Moore showing off her feet in Stella Luna “Gabardine” sandals in black suede (Credit: Nicky Nelson / WENN)

Mandy continued her gorgeous red carpet style streak in a glitter fabric dress by Lela Rose. The geometric black side panels made for an interesting contrast to the all-over gold glitter pattern of the dress.

Mandy Moore is joined by her onscreen partner Milo Ventimiglia (Credit: Nicky Nelson / WENN)

The actress echoed the stark contrast with the Stella Luna “Gabardine” sandals in black suede and finished her look with jewelry from Fernando Jorge.

Mandy Moore poses with her co-stars Chris Sullivan, Chrissy Metz, Susan Kelechi Watson, and Milo Ventimiglia (Credit: Nicky Nelson / WENN)

Mandy has always gushed over how great the cast of “This Is Us” gets along behind the scenes, so we weren’t surprised to see the actress genuinely happy to pose with her co-stars Chris Sullivan, Chrissy Metz, Susan Kelechi Watson, and Milo Ventimiglia at the event.

The actress uploaded photos from the night to her Instagram, captioning one photo, “On the town with the family for the #televisionacademyhonors, where #thisisus was recognized (along with some of my favorite shows) as programming that “creates awareness, enlightens, educates and positively motivates audiences.”

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