How Rebel Wilson Lost 60 Pounds: Her Diet, Exercise & Message of Self-Love

Rebel Wilson used to think of her weight as an asset in her comedic acting. When she played the character Fat Amy in the Pitch Perfect films, she could use her girth and size to bring extra silliness to the character's movements. In the past year, however, the actress evolved her thinking and decided to live what she calls the "Year of Health." She set out to feel healthier emotionally and physically and what began as a commitment to herself has led her to a shocking transformation.

It's been over a year since she wrote a letter to herself last January 2020, promising to reach her goals through positive reinforcement. Wilson has since lost more than 60 pounds and looks truly amazing, both healthy and strong. Five months ago Wilson emerged on social media showing off a new svelte figure (on the beach in a bathing suit, at an awards event in a black dress, on a private plane) that has dismayed fans who have not been keeping tabs on the slow and steady shrinking that Wilson has been undergoing in the past 15 months. Just this week, she shared a recap of her journey on Instagram live and offered her fans and followers easy tips and techniques to help them start their health journey anywhere, and practice more self-love.

During her year (or more) of health, Wilson balanced eating a high-protein diet with low-impact exercise and began prioritizing her emotional health. She explained that one aspect of her journey was to understand why she started eating to comfort herself in the first place–and she worked on finding solutions. Now, she says: "I still eat a chocolate bar, but it's not every day," Wilson also explained that her journey wasn't, and isn't, perfect and that she set out to change her unhealthy habits but still has missteps. The key is to forgive yourself and move on.

Learn from Wilson's tips and get inspired to improve your emotional and physical health. She explains that it starts by having a healthier relationship with food and exercise, and then get inspired by her successful weight loss secrets. Then embark on a health journey of your own.

Last January 2020 felt like a new year to make a change for Wilson and she pointed out that she normally chooses a theme for the year ahead, to reach new goals, whether it's the year of fun or the year of love. This time in her life was special since the actress was about to turn 40 in three months and eventually was planning to freeze her eggs, which she noted, "I wanted to have healthy eggs in the bank."

Before Wilson started her successful weight loss journey, she had tried almost every diet in the book, but could never stick with it and achieve her goals. Wilson noted that she's been overweight since she was 20 and always felt confident being what she calls "curvalicious," but now she's back at the weight she used to be in high school, and she feels even better.

"I would go really hard on the exercise or diet, then gain all the weight back," said Wilson. In the video, she explained her "fat gene," and noted it's harder for her to lose weight than the average person. She also opened up about her diagnosis of PCOS in college and mentioned she felt unsupported by healthcare professionals–since they just gave her a prescription and never really explained what she should do about this condition to improve her reproductive health. In the video, Wilson said after 20 years, she's finally off that medication, another huge accomplishment for the actress, who had been on a hormonal rollercoaster, making it even harder to lose lose weight.

To Wilson's surprise, prioritizing her emotional health was the "biggest and best thing" that helped her achieve her weight loss goals. "I had to figure out why I was overeating and why I was emotionally eating," said Wilson in the Instagram live video. The actress mentioned her job can be stressful and overwhelming at times and the way she dealt with fame and pressure was by eating. So, at this point in her life, she was not only focusing on exercise and nutrition but she also wanted to feel happier and healthier mentally. And although she's not perfect, she explained, "I work out like a beast, but there are some days I don't work out as hard. It's been a journey and I don't have this incredible discipline."

Back in 2019, Wilson saw a healthcare professional in Austria who noticed she had an overgrowth of candida in her body, enhancing sugar cravings and making it harder to lose weight. "Sugar was my weakness," said the actress. Wilson tried a juice detox to help cut her cravings but she didn't give it her all. "I didn't put both of my feet into the health journey," back then, she said, "but when 2020 rolled around, I wrote myself a letter and said I will give it my all, then I did." Bottom line: You have to be ready, and it has to come from within you.

Wilson's exercise routine is easier than you might imagine. First, she's a big believer in getting all your steps in for the day. "Most of my physical activity is going for a walk," she told fans.. She pointed out that when she's in Los Angeles she loves to walk in Griffin Park and when she's in New York, she enjoys walking towards the Statue of Liberty. In addition, Wilson is no stranger to charging up steep hills: "I never realized how much I liked hiking and getting out in nature. There's nothing better than filling your lungs with fresh air."

Wilson advises everyone to walk as much as possible, saying "you can't get past it" meaning there is an endless amount you can do, and you won't get injured or tired of walking. She listens to podcasts, motivational books, or a new playlist full of pop songs. And when she needs an extra boost of motivation, she puts on her "hardcore playlist" that helps her get up major hills. Wilson recommends listening to an audiobook that helped her begin the weight loss journey: Within: A Spiritual Awakening to Love & Weight Loss.

Aside from walking for at least one hour every day, Wilson likes to lift weights and works out with a trainer wherever she goes (like LA or New York). "Just get your body moving," she told viewers.

Wilson found eating high-protein foods to be the most effective diet for reaching her goals. The star mentioned she used to be vegetarian so introducing animal products into her diet was a new idea for her, but she mostly is plant-based with small amounts of chicken or fish, and she still enjoys a protein-filled smoothie with vegan protein powder.

In addition to the foods she prioritizes, such as vegetables and fruit, her eating technique matters just as much. "I eat mindfully, I take my time, I feel satisfied, then I stop eating," said Wilson. "If I eat chips, I'll just devour the entire bag," she added, so processed foods are out. The actress also emphasized the importance of drinking enough water daily. "I try to drink 2-3 liters of water a day." When Wilson was dropping the pounds, she kept her calories below 1500 daily but noted that was only for the early weeks, when she wanted to lose weight.

Now, that the star has hit her goal weight, she doesn't pay attention to the scale or a strict calorie intake. "You cannot define yourself as a number, I just had to do that at the beginning for some tangible measurements."

"I used to eat to numb my emotions, I learned that I need to process the emotions to get over something," said Wilson. The actress had a teary-eyed moment when she spoke about her depression and how she didn't treat herself with love and respect, "I didn't value myself," she said. She used the example when she used to tell herself to eat the whole pack of brownies because who cares and that she deserved that. "I changed those patterns so now I'm more loving and I treat myself with respect, I'm still working on self-love, it's a hard concept to master," she said.

Wilson says that writing was the best technique to overcoming her negative thoughts and help her cleanse her mind. She calls this her "purge emotional writing," which is something her doctor recommended doing and now Wilson swears by it. The concept is simple: Take out your phone or set a 12-minute timer on your watch and then begin to write in a paged journal and start writing your feelings down. Jot down everything you're feeling and include what you're grateful for. Then at the end of the 12 minutes, add a positive "self-love note" to yourself. Then, take the journal entry and destroy it. You can either burn it or flush it down the toilet to "cleanse your emotions." That way you are symbolically letting go and purging your mind of negative emotions. Get rid of it and you'll feel like you've cleansed your thoughts and feelings.

Wilson said the best way to find gratitude is to be aware of your surroundings. "It's as simple as feeling grateful that the sun came out," she said in a heartfelt moment. Start your "Rebel" health journey today. If you want a clean eating plan of plant-based recipes try the 2 Week Clean Eating Plan.

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