NEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n\n- \n\n
Oprah Winfrey used to view exercise as a punishment before completely transforming her lifestyle<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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The media mogul now feels \u201csluggish\u201d if she doesn\u2019t work out or do some form of movement every day<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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In a new PEOPLE cover story, Winfrey admits that she doesn\u2019t recognize the woman she\u2019s become\u2014but she\u2019s happier and healthier<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Oprah Winfrey<\/a> admits she doesn\u2019t even recognize herself lately, but she\u2019s loving the new woman she\u2019s become.<\/p>\nAhead of her 72nd birthday in January, the media mogul reflected on the transformation she\u2019s made with her approach to health and her relationship with exercise.<\/p>\n
Winfrey struggled with her weight for decades before understanding that she suffers from obesity and needed help. She ultimately turned to a GLP-1 weight-loss medication two and a half years ago but recognized that she also had to commit to the necessary lifestyle changes.<\/p>\n
For Winfrey, working out used to be seen as a chore or a punishment. Now, it\u2019s an essential part of her routine, spending an hour and a half or two hours every day focused on exercise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do some form of movement at least six days a week. And on the seventh day, I rest,\u201d she says in PEOPLE’s new cover story.<\/a> \u201cThe routine is, I try to do something that involves physical, strenuous movement every other day. And on the days when I’m not doing that, I do resistance training.\u201d<\/p>\nThe PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\noprah winfrey\/instagram<\/p>\n
Oprah Winfrey working out<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
One form of cardio Winfrey often turns to is hiking, sharing that she\u2019s gotten to a point where she\u2019ll sometimes wear a 10-lb. weighted vest during those long hikes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can’t even believe the woman I am now. I’m actually putting on a damn weighted vest,\u201d she quips.<\/p>\n
The former talk show host\u00a0\u2014 who shares her journey in a new book with obesity expert Dr. Ania M. Jastreboff, Enough: Your Health, Your Weight and What It\u2019s Like to Be Free<\/em><\/a> \u2014 even makes sure to prioritize working out when she\u2019s traveling.<\/p>\n\u201cFor every city that I’ve been in, I’ve gotten a schedule of where we can hike, and then gotten pictures of what the gym is going to look like before I get here,\u201d she says. \u201cThe fact that exercise is a part of the plan and not what restaurant we’re going to, I don’t recognize the woman who’s planning the trip based on where we can exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don’t recognize that woman. But she’s a happy woman now,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n![\"Oprah\/Instagram](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/4LVZExjAL.G6A1DwcE1lvg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTkyMDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/people_218\/26a71f1a71e5ad81232f82183e05dde6\"\/)
<\/div>\n\nOprah\/Instagram<\/p>\n
Oprah Winfrey hiking<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Winfrey says that even those closest to her have been in awe of her transformation in recent years.<\/p>\n
Oprah Winfrey used to view exercise as a punishment before completely transforming her lifestyle<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
The media mogul now feels \u201csluggish\u201d if she doesn\u2019t work out or do some form of movement every day<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
In a new PEOPLE cover story, Winfrey admits that she doesn\u2019t recognize the woman she\u2019s become\u2014but she\u2019s happier and healthier<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Oprah Winfrey<\/a> admits she doesn\u2019t even recognize herself lately, but she\u2019s loving the new woman she\u2019s become.<\/p>\n Ahead of her 72nd birthday in January, the media mogul reflected on the transformation she\u2019s made with her approach to health and her relationship with exercise.<\/p>\n Winfrey struggled with her weight for decades before understanding that she suffers from obesity and needed help. She ultimately turned to a GLP-1 weight-loss medication two and a half years ago but recognized that she also had to commit to the necessary lifestyle changes.<\/p>\n For Winfrey, working out used to be seen as a chore or a punishment. Now, it\u2019s an essential part of her routine, spending an hour and a half or two hours every day focused on exercise.<\/p>\n \u201cI do some form of movement at least six days a week. And on the seventh day, I rest,\u201d she says in PEOPLE’s new cover story.<\/a> \u201cThe routine is, I try to do something that involves physical, strenuous movement every other day. And on the days when I’m not doing that, I do resistance training.\u201d<\/p>\n The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n oprah winfrey\/instagram<\/p>\n Oprah Winfrey working out<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n One form of cardio Winfrey often turns to is hiking, sharing that she\u2019s gotten to a point where she\u2019ll sometimes wear a 10-lb. weighted vest during those long hikes.<\/p>\n \u201cI can’t even believe the woman I am now. I’m actually putting on a damn weighted vest,\u201d she quips.<\/p>\n The former talk show host\u00a0\u2014 who shares her journey in a new book with obesity expert Dr. Ania M. Jastreboff, Enough: Your Health, Your Weight and What It\u2019s Like to Be Free<\/em><\/a> \u2014 even makes sure to prioritize working out when she\u2019s traveling.<\/p>\n \u201cFor every city that I’ve been in, I’ve gotten a schedule of where we can hike, and then gotten pictures of what the gym is going to look like before I get here,\u201d she says. \u201cThe fact that exercise is a part of the plan and not what restaurant we’re going to, I don’t recognize the woman who’s planning the trip based on where we can exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t recognize that woman. But she’s a happy woman now,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n Oprah\/Instagram<\/p>\n Oprah Winfrey hiking<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Winfrey says that even those closest to her have been in awe of her transformation in recent years.<\/p>\n<\/div>