The 15 Most Inspiring Celebrity Weight Loss Stories Slideshow

It may be tempting for affluent celebrities to take the easy way out (and many do on the down-low), just as many famous folks lose excess weight just like the rest of us — with good old-fashioned hard work.

America's most famous weather man struggled with his weight his entire life. Topping out at 340 pounds, Al Roker would sometimes lose 30 or 40 pounds... only to gain it all back in a few months. Finally, he said enough was enough and went under the knife for gastric bypass in 2002. But weight loss surgery is no magic wand. Roker gained back much of his weight and finally accepted maintaining his weight loss can only be done through good old-fashioned portion control and exercise. Now the 5'8" weather man maintains a weight of roughly 200 pounds.

Despite being the offspring of iconic duo Sonny and Cher, Chaz Bono has had his fair share of adversity. Bono was born a woman and in the mid-'90s was outed as a lesbian by a vicious tabloid article. A handful of years later, Bono lost a partner to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Between 2008 and 2010, Bono underwent gender reassignment surgery and officially changed his name from Chastity to Chaz. He credits his gender reassignment surgery with the confidence to lose weight. He's lost 85 pounds thanks to diet and exercise.

Christina Aguilera is another young celeb used to dealing with the critical eye of the Hollywood press. Following her divorce in 2010, Aguilera put on a noticeable amount of weight and the tabloids had a field day obsessing over her curvy figure. The Voice coach turned the tables on her detractors; however, when last year she shed an impressive 49 pounds. She credits following a strict diet high in lean protein and limiting alcohol as major factors in her weight loss.

The actor and The Price Is Right host looks completely different from the character he played on The Drew Carey Show. His transformation is all thanks to good old-fashioned dieting, cardio, and extreme discipline. Carey took the no-carb route and avoids everything from bread to beans. After months of training and a loss of 80 pounds, Carey is now diabetes-free and no longer requires medication, giving new meaning to the phrase "your wealth is your health."

Jennifer Hudson began her weight loss journey after the birth of her son in 2009 and since then has lost a whopping 80 pounds. For Hudson, the healthy route based on Weight Watchers' point system was the only way to go. She has been able to maintain her svelte figure by regular exercise coupled with portion control, while still indulging in the sweet stuff in moderation. If Hudson can go from a size 16 to a size 6, so can you.

After giving birth to her daughter Maxwell in 2012 and son Ace in 2013, Jessica Simpson joined Weight Watchers to shed that baby weight. She credits their Simple Start program and chasing around toddlers for her 50-pound weight loss. But of course Simpson does a little more than that. She has a chef to help her prepare family meals and enlisted a personal trainer for four day a week workouts.

Jonah Hill's weight has fluctuated greatly since he broke out in Superbad in 2007, but in June 2016, the War Dogs actor debuted his slimmest frame to date. In a hilarious interview with Jimmy Fallon, he revealed that a famous friend helped him to get in shape. "I wanted to get in better shape so I called Channing Tatum and I asked, 'Hey, if I eat less and get a trainer, will I get in better shape?'" Tatum, in not so many words, told him that it really is that simple.

Celebrity chef Graham Elliot deserves a serious round of applause for losing a jaw-dropping amount of poundage. The Chicago-based chef has lost over 100 pounds. Elliot, a father of three, claims his family was the main motivation for losing weight, as his health was in danger. Elliot weighed over 300 pounds and was therefore eligible for weight loss surgery to shrink the size of his stomach. His diet has drastically changed, and exercise is the key when it comes to his daily routine.

Fashion designer, television host, singer-songwriter ― these are all titles Kelly Osbourne can lay claim to. But we'd like to add "badass fitness guru" to that list, because the daughter of famous rocker Ozzy Osbourne has lost 70 pounds and counting. Osbourne is realistic about maintaining her health, allowing herself to give in to cravings every so often, as well as keeping her workouts fun. You can often find her hula-hooping with pals on a Friday night — what's not to love about that? Osbourne has dealt with bullying and media criticism and even suffered from a seizure last year, but she is living proof that if you make personal health a top priority, you'll always trump the naysayers.

Once teased as the "chubby sister," Khloé Kardashian set out to transform her body after her divorce from husband Lamar Odom. She says she's "in love with fitness and health," and starts her day at 5 a.m. with an intensive workout. Her strict diet includes a lot of snacks, including a meal of celery and 12 almonds, and a ton of water.

Mo'nique has taken a proactive, social media-savvy approach to inspire other women dealing with body image issues. She uses Twitter and her personal website to post daily pictures and updates of her progress. Mo'nique has documented everything from strength training photos to her yoga routines, proving that you don't need to succumb to surgery to see results.

Oprah Winfrey has been sharing her weight loss struggles and victories with America for nearly 30 years. But she's had the most success (and most recent success) as a part-owner in Weight Watchers. In 2017, the 63-year-old media mogul revealed that she had lost over 40 pounds through Weight Watchers' program. She uses the company's point system as a "game."

Some people need a swift kick in the rear end to get their act together. Tom Arnold is one of those people. The 54-year-old actor decided to get fit for his young son Jax. After Jax's birth, Arnold swore off toxic carbs like white bread and cake. Giving up cake may sound crazy, but if it's for the sake of family, we're on board.

Queen Latifah has always been a positive role model for women by embracing who she is. The singer and talk show host wasn't always so comfortable in her skin, but made the choice to love herself, flaws and all, at a young age. In 2007, Queen Latifah became a spokesperson for Jenny Craig and subsequently lost 20 pounds.

For actress, mother, and Jenny Craig ambassador Valerie Bertinelli, staying fit is an ongoing commitment that isn't always easy. Bertinelli has written books on the subject of her personal weight loss battle, which also provide insight into other issues she's struggled with over the years. Bertinelli is a true survivor and has overcome drug abuse, suffered through a rough divorce, and all the while has managed to lose 47 pounds. Suddenly a simple trip to the gym isn't looking so bad.