Cynthia Bailey is opening up about the menopause-related weight gain that left her feeling unlike herself – before ultimately shedding 40lbs and regaining her confidence with the help of a GLP-1 medication.
The former Real Housewives of Atlanta star, 59, admitted she struggled with her self-image after gaining weight in her 50s, revealing the changes caught her completely off guard.
As a longtime model, Bailey said she had always been naturally ‘skinny’ and never previously battled issues with her weight.
But after entering menopause, Bailey said her usual routines suddenly stopped working despite her best efforts.
‘I tried to diet, I had a trainer, I was working out. I was definitely making the effort. But when I got to this one particular crossroad after menopause, I just could not fix it,’ she told People on Monday. ‘And that was really frustrating for me as someone who is a little bit of a control freak.’
Bailey also admitted that harsh social media commentary about her appearance began taking a toll on her confidence.
Cynthia Bailey is opening up about the menopause-related weight gain that left her feeling unlike herself – before ultimately shedding 40lbs and regaining her confidence with the help of a GLP-1 medication; Above, in March
The former Real Housewives of Atlanta star, 59, admitted she struggled with her self-image after gaining weight in her 50s, revealing the changes caught her completely off guard; Above, in 2024
‘My fans, they’ve been with me since I was modeling,’ she explained. ‘And the comments on social media are like, “Oh wow, she needs to lose weight. She looks a mess. She really let herself go. What happened to her?”’
‘I read all those things and, you know, it’s hurtful,’ Bailey continued. ‘I’m still human.’
The reality star said the criticism became so difficult that she started pulling back from public appearances altogether.
‘As someone who lives their life in the spotlight, I was actually starting to lose confidence,’ she admitted. ‘I was finding myself not wanting to do the red carpets anymore.’
She added that even watching herself on television while ‘30 to 40 pounds heavier’ had become ‘hard.’
By early 2025, Bailey decided to take control of her health journey by joining Weight Watchers, which she described as ‘a safe space’ to begin making long-term lifestyle changes.
The reality star said she initially focused on improving her relationship with food and building healthier habits before later being prescribed a GLP-1 medication to support her weight-loss goals.
‘I just wanted to feel good again and I wanted to look good again. And I’m not afraid to say that,’ she explained. ‘I feel like when you look better, you feel better.’
As a longtime model, Bailey said she had always been naturally ‘skinny’ and never previously battled issues with her weight; Above, in 2001
The reality star said she initially focused on improving her relationship with food and building healthier habits before later being prescribed a GLP-1 medication to support her weight-loss goals; Above, in 2022
Bailey added that sustainable progress – rather than rapid weight loss – had always been her priority.
‘I knew I needed to first get on a program because for me, it was about being able to maintain a certain weight once I got there as opposed to losing weight quickly,’ she said.
The reality star also revealed she made several major lifestyle changes as part of her health overhaul, including nearly cutting bread out of her diet and limiting herself to just one alcoholic drink when going out.
‘I think that’s why I’ve had so much success because now it’s just my life,’ she explained.
Bailey said she has lost more than 40lbs since beginning the program last year.
‘I went from 206 lbs. to yesterday I weighed in at 165 lbs.,’ she shared. ‘And in my mind, I was like, “Man, if I could get back to just 160, that would be the perfect healthy weight for me.” I’m almost there.’
Despite her dramatic transformation, Bailey said she has no interest in becoming ‘skinny’ again.
‘It’s not about being skinny. I’ve been skinny my whole life,’ she said. ‘I just want to be my healthy weight.’
‘Although I come from an industry where aesthetics do matter, I give myself grace by just being authentic about my journey and sharing it,’ Bailey explained.
‘I’m not alone. I’m not the only person getting older. I’m not the only person that went through menopause.’
Now, Bailey says she finally feels comfortable in both her body and herself again, admitting: ‘I’m at a healthy weight and I feel so good.’
