Amanda Bynes using Ozempic for weight loss as she wants to 'look better in paparazzi pictures’
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Former Nickelodeon star Amanda Bynes has revealed she is beginning a weight loss journey using Ozempic, the popular diabetes medication often used off-label for weight management.
Known for her past struggles with mental health and a long break from the public eye, Bynes shared her update on Instagram, stating she hopes to lose weight and feel more confident in paparazzi pictures.
The revelation comes as Bynes continues to rebuild her life following years of personal challenges, including substance abuse, a bipolar disorder diagnosis, and multiple psychiatric holds.
Amanda Bynes shares Ozempic weight-loss plan on Instagram
On Sunday, Bynes posted a short video where she discussed several life updates, including plans to dye her hair and start taking Ozempic.
“What else do I want to post about? Ohh I am going on ozempic and I am excited about it. I am 173 now, so I hope to get down to like 130,” she said in the video.
Amanda continued, “That would be awesome, so I would look better in paparazzi pictures. And you don't see my double chin from strange angles. That’s about it. I will post about my ozempic journey too.”
She started the video by discussing her plans to change her hair color, before shifting the focus to her upcoming weight loss journey. The clip later made its way to Reddit.
Amanda Bynes reflects on struggles with body image, Adderall use, and journey to self-confidence
Bynes began acting in the late 1990s, first appearing in the popular Nickelodeon sketch show 'All That', before gaining her own show, 'The Amanda Show'. She achieved major success in the 2000s with film roles in 'She’s the Man' (2006), 'Hairspray' (2007), and 'Easy A' (2010).
In 2010, at just 24 years old, she announced her retirement from acting. “Being an actress isn’t as fun as it may seem,” she wrote at the time. “If I don’t love something anymore I stop doing it. I don’t love acting anymore so I’ve stopped doing it.”
Over the years, Bynes has spoken openly about her struggles with mental health, eating disorders, and the intense scrutiny she faced, especially from the tabloid press.
In past interviews, she revealed that her role in the 2006 comedy 'She’s the Man' had a significant emotional impact on her.
“When the movie came out and I saw it, I went into a deep depression for four to six months because I didn’t like how I looked when I was a boy,” she recalled.
The film, inspired by William Shakespeare’s 'Twelfth Night', centers on Viola Hastings (played by Bynes), a teenager who disguises herself as her twin brother, Sebastian, to enroll at his new school and join the boys’ soccer team.
Bynes also shared that she began misusing Adderall after reading about its off-label use for weight loss in a magazine, describing it as “the new skinny pill.”
Since then, she has sought treatment and made efforts to rebuild her self-image. In 2023, she underwent blepharoplasty surgery to remove excess skin near her eyes.
“It was one of the best things I could have ever done for my self-confidence and it made me feel a lot better in my skin. I feel a lot better now about myself,” she said.
