How did Rebel Wilson lose 36kg? Pitch Perfect actress on dropping the weight, fighting shame and celebrating all body types

The 43-year-old suffers from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which caused her to gain 100 pounds during university. The syndrome can also affect fertility. After a visit to her doctor in 2019, Wilson learned she would have a better chance at harvesting and freezing her eggs if she lost weight.

Wilson (centre) in a still from Pitch Perfect 2. Photo: Universal Pictures

The actress shed around 36kg after embarking on what she called her “year of health” in 2020, dropping from an estimated 111kg to her goal weight of 75kg in November of that year.

She said her desire to become a mother who could fulfil her future child’s needs inspired her to get in better shape.

“I put on the athleisure and went out for a walk, deliberately hydrating on the couch right now and trying to avoid the sugar and junk food which is going to be hard after the holidays I’ve just had but I’m going to do it!” she captioned an Instagram post on January 2, 2020, announcing the start of her wellness regimen to her fans.

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“I love me some ice cream or dessert, and it comes at times when I’m happy or sad,” she said in a 2015 Cosmopolitan interview.

“So when I have an incredibly successful day, I want to celebrate and reward myself with food. If I’ve had a sad or stressful day, food is also comfort.”

Wilson in Los Angeles, California, on February 25, 2020. She had dropped to 75kg by November that year. Photo: Getty Images

Her lifestyle changes also included switching from a carbohydrate-heavy diet to a high-protein one. “Before I was probably eating 3,000 calories most days, and because they were normally carbs, I would still be hungry,” Wilson shared in 2020.

These days, Wilson opts for meals like fish, salmon or chicken breast, but she still allows herself some cheat days without shaming herself for it. “Some weeks are just write-offs, and there’s nothing you can do about that,” she said.

Despite widespread rumours, the actress took to her Instagram stories in 2022 to declare that she has never used the Mayr Method to lose weight.

The Mayr Method is a 14-day eating programme developed by Austrian doctor Franz Xaver Mayr around a century ago, which focuses on improving gut health, limiting certain foods and promoting mindful eating to lose weight.

The Bridesmaids actress shed around 36kg in 2020. Photo: Instagram/@rebelwilson

“This was NEVER my diet … also have NEVER endorsed any diet pills or magic weight loss pills. Do NOT want anyone to get scammed,” she wrote.

However, a 2022 Instagram post suggests Wilson had, indeed, adopted the Mayr Method diet to maintain her slimmed figure.

“Oh it’s soooo gooood to be back at @vivamayraltaussee working the Mayr method to reset my system for the rest of the working year!” reads her caption.

Besides altering her eating habits to some extent, Wilson has also partnered with celebrity personal trainer Jono Castano to achieve holistic health through fitness.

Wilson also achieved holistic health through fitness. Photo: Instagram / @rebelwilson

As seen on Castano’s Instagram, Wilson’s workout routine involved tyre flips, battle ropes, and sprinting up and down stairs. The actress has also posted herself boxing.

Fast-forward to January 2024 and Wilson has given her followers a health update. “I’ve gained 14kg’s [sic] (30 pounds)! It makes me feel bad about myself … it shouldn’t … but it does,” she shared on Instagram.

Now a mother, Wilson admits to the stresses of working on films and writing her memoir Rebel Rising, which details her personal issues with health and weight, at the same time. She says her busy career has led her to lose focus on her healthy lifestyle.

Wilson in Los Angeles, California, in 2023. She says her busy career has led her to lose focus on her healthy lifestyle. Photo: Getty Images

Wilson grew teary-eyed upon receiving supportive comments from her legion of fans, thanking them with an updated caption on her post.

Their comments echo sentiments she had believed in all along: “There is a societal bias towards what society deems as good-looking. It’s not right. It sucks, it’s unfair. I feel sad if somebody doesn’t love the body they’re in,” she lamented in 2022.

“You want to celebrate all body types, but I also want to encourage people to be healthy.”

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