Key Takeaways
- Charles Barkley credits GLP-1 medication with helping him lose more than 50 pounds, calling the treatment “not only a game-changer” but “a life-changer.”
- Barkley reached 355 pounds after hip replacements in 2016 and 2018 limited his activity, prompting his doctor to urge lifestyle changes.
- The NBA legend told People he initially took Mounjaro before switching to Zepbound under his doctor’s guidance.
Charles Barkley isn't keeping quiet about what helped him lose weight.
Speaking with People, the 63-year-old NBA star said that a GLP-1 medication played a major role in his weight-loss journey. Barkley said he typically weighed around 250 pounds during his basketball career and never had to pay much attention to his diet. As an athlete, he was constantly active and could eat just about anything without worrying about the consequences. But that changed as the years rolled on.
"When I was 25 years old, my pregame meal was two fish filets, a large fry, and I washed it down with a Diet Coke. You know, I think tartar sauce is one of the greatest inventions of all time," he told the outlet. "It's probably not the healthiest meal in the world, but I loved it."
He added, "I'm working out every single day, running up and down the court for two hours a night. You can pretty much get away with eating anything. And then Father Time starts knocking on your door."
Things changed when the Inside the NBA host had his first hip replacement in August 2016 and another one in 2018. He said the surgeries left him inactive for months, so he gained weight. Barkley eventually reached 355 pounds, prompting his doctor to warn him that he needed to make lifestyle changes if he wanted to live a long life.
Barkley agreed to try anything that could help and said his doctor introduced him to GLP-1 medications.
"I said, 'Let's do it. I'll try anything. I wanna be here,'" he said.
According to People, Barkley initially used Mounjaro before switching to Zepbound. "Next thing I know, I'm down 50 pounds, but I know I've actually lost more than that," he added. "It's been not only a game-changer, it's been a life-changer."
