Kelly Clarkson reveals she lost weight after pre-diabetic diagnosis

Her recent weight loss wasn’t inspired by vanity. Photo: Kelly Clarkson/Instagram

Kelly Clarkson’s recent weight loss wasn’t inspired by vanity but instead her being diagnosed as pre-diabetic.

The American Idol alum, 41, shared on her eponymous talk show that she “wasn’t shocked” by the health revelation, as she “was a tiny bit overweight.”

“I was told I was pre-diabetic. That was literally what happened,” Clarkson told guest Kevin James of being told by doctors she was “right on the borderline.”

“I was like, ‘OK, I’ll (finally) do something about it,'” she added, after revealing she waited two years to make any significant changes.

In a cover story for People earlier this month, Clarkson opened up about her weight loss and other lifestyle changes following her 2020 split from ex-husband and manager Brandon Blackstock.

“I eat a healthy mix. I dropped weight because I’ve been listening to my doctor – a couple years I didn’t,” Clarkson told the magazine. “And 90% of the time I’m really good at it because a protein diet is good for me anyway. I’m a Texas girl, so I like meat – sorry, vegetarians in the world!”

She also credited an active, on-the-go life for helping her kick some weight, saying, “Walking in (New York City) is quite the workout.”

Clarkson noted these days aren’t just about prioritising her physical fitness but her mental health, which she cited as a big reason for moving her talk show from Los Angeles to NYC last year.

“I was very unhappy in LA and had been for several years. I needed a fresh start,” she said. “We told NBC, ‘I’m not trying to sound ungrateful, I just can’t stay here anymore for my mental health; for me and my kids.’ They weren’t doing well either.

"For the past few years, I’d just been showing up and smiling and doing what I’m supposed to do, but you can only compartmentalise so long until you break.” – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service