These women are beautiful whatever their shape or size but their motivation to lose weight was inspired by wanting to be healthier. Here are three female icons who have spoken about their weight struggles.

JANET JACKSON

Janet Jackson is fitter than ever and working out consistently after giving birth to her first child, Eissa, in 2017.

Janet shed a whopping 70 pounds thanks to the help, she says, of personal trainer Paulette Sybliss. Her dramatic weight loss can be seen everywhere from the red carpet to her Instagram feed. Janet also uses social media as a way to motivate new parents to become active. The Together Again singer began her fitness adventure six weeks after the birth of her son and continued with her rigorous workouts thereafter.

Sybliss told People Magazine: "We trained at least four times a week, with sessions lasting no less than 45 minutes and no more than an hour.

But it's a lot of work. Extremely rigorous training." Janet achieved her initial weight loss, but she also developed lean muscle, resulting in a robust body. Aside from her physical development, Janet also revealed she improved her nutritional health switching to a high protein diet with healthy carbs and fats.

Janet Jackson Before

Janet Jackson After

MELISSA McCARTHY

Melissa McCarthy is one funny lady, and we have the smile lines to prove it. McCarthy has graced our screens as the adorable Sookie St. James in Gilmore Girls before her breakthrough role as the iconic Megan in Bridesmaids.

McCarthy has always kept an open dialogue when it comes to weight: "I’ve been every size in the world, from a six to a 22," she told The Guardian in 2016.

Her struggle with weight, she says, began once she moved to LA. She stopped walking, ate fast food and put on 25 pounds.

The drastic change in life had a major effect on her weight gain. McCarthy says there is no secret to her weight loss, no quick fix but instead, it was a complete lifestyle change that helped her to lose (a rumoured) 75lbs. "No trick, nothing to tell, just super boring life," she said. Simple, effective and impressive.

Melissa McCarthy Before

Melissa McCarthy After

REBEL WILSON

Known for her comedic gravitas and quick wit, Rebel Wilson's "Year of Health" was a huge success. In 2020, the Pitch Perfect actress dropped more than 60 pounds and reached her goal weight. But, more significantly, she appears to be content with her new lifestyle. It takes one glance at her social media to see how genuinely happy Rebel is with her new look, showing off her weight loss on Instagram.

Rebel has maintained one aspect of her personality throughout this transformation, and that is her self-assurance. She told Women’s Health Magazine: "I like to think I looked good at all sizes and stuff, and I've always been quite confident. So, it wasn't like I wasn't confident, and then now I'm, like, super confident."

Rebel used the Mayr Method – chewing food religiously, not drinking water with meals and no eating after 7 pm - as well as exercising regularly with her personal trainer Jono Castano to achieve her goal weight. She noted how: "You can tell that I post a lot of photos of myself on Instagram. I'm like, 'Oh yeah, loving myself.'"