Charles Barkley is getting a lot of praise for shedding some weight lately. The famous “Round Mound of Rebound” is noticeably slimmer these days.
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What Did Charles Barkley Do to Shed Pounds?
Barkley previously appeared on the pregame show for Turner Sports before the Vegas Golden Knights faced off against the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final. Then, he talked about what motivated him to lose around 60 pounds.
“My doctor told me I was fat. So I’m down 60 pounds,” the Basketball Hall of Famer said. “She said to me, ‘There’s no fat old people, only fat young people.’ And she said, ‘If you don’t get this stuff together, you’re not gonna be around.'”
Barkley shared that he was shedding pounds with a popular medication called Mounjaro. Speaking on “The Pat McAfee Show,” he mentioned going from 352 to 290 pounds.
He mentioned that he exercises regularly and administers his Mounjaro shot once a week. Mounjaro is utilized alongside diet and exercise to enhance blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.
He initially shared his use of Mounjaro during a May 26 episode of the “Dan Patrick Show.” Barkley, a top 20 NBA rebounder of all time, informed McAfee that he has shed 62 pounds.
“I started at 352 [lbs.],” he said. “And I’m down to 290. I’m starting to feel like a human being, not a fat ass anymore.” He added that his goal weight was 270 lbs.
After sharing that he takes a weight loss shot, McAfee asked Barkley whether he knows exactly what the medication is doing to him. The latter confessed that he didn’t know.
Barkley joins several celebrities, including Elon Musk and Chelsea Handler, in using Mounjaro and similar medications like Ozempic for weight loss.
What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide, is akin to medications like Ozempic and Wegovy (brand names for semaglutide). These drugs, including Mounjaro, were initially designed for diabetes management. However, Barkley uses Mounjaro as part of his strategy to assist with weight loss.
Mounjaro belongs to a category of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. These drugs function by slowing down the emptying of your stomach and influencing how your body manages appetite. Other medications in this group are Ozempic and Wegovy. Currently, Wegovy is the only one FDA-approved for weight loss.
Physician-nutrition specialist Dr. Michelle Pearlman notes that these medications are now more frequently discussed in her conversations with patients regarding weight loss.
“Today, people come to my clinic, and they say, ‘I want the injections, or I want Ozempic.’ They come asking for the medication as opposed to maybe starting out with a conversation of, ‘I’m struggling with my weight, I would like to discuss all the options.”
According to Kate Regan (RDN), the growing popularity of these medications is altering the discussions among dietitians as well.
“I have a lot of clients who do still desire to lose weight. So, we do have plenty of conversations about the pros and cons of going on a drug like that. And my job really is to provide information and support them in making a decision that they feel is best for themselves.”
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Pearlman emphasizes that being aware of these medications doesn’t automatically mean they fit everyone. “If I have a patient who wants to have a bottle of wine, and eat a huge steak dinner and have 2,000 calories at 10 o’clock at night, and [they] think the medication is going to make them feel well and still lose weight, and not change those sorts of dietary habits, they’re not a good candidate.”
Mounjaro’s side effects may involve symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea. Even for individuals using medications like Ozempic for their intended purpose of treating type 2 diabetes, dietitians, including Regan, recommend specific strategies.
“If you’re taking this drug for blood sugar management, you still are going to experience a lot of the same side effects. But we need to kind of focus more on practical eating and making sure you’re still eating enough food, even if your appetite is decreased, even if you’re not feeling super hungry because this drug is altering the way that you are experiencing hunger and fullness cues.”
Wegovy was granted FDA approval as a weight loss aid in 2021. At the same time, Mounjaro is aiming to receive a similar designation by the end of this year.