How Kelly Clarkson’s Cross-Country Move Helped Her Lose Weight (2024)

Kelly Clarkson has shared a lot over the last few months about her weight loss journey, and she’s been showing off the results. One flip through the 41-year-old’s Instagrams show her looking incredibly glowy.

Back in January, the singer revealed that a pre-diabetic diagnosis, along with a cross-country move to New York City, kicked her into action.

“I was very unhappy in L.A. and had been for several years. I needed a fresh start,” Kelly told People at the time. “I was going through a really rough few years, and even in the first season it was rough behind closed doors. Just to be able to come into season 5 feeling good and knowing my kids feel good— and the dust has settled. Season 5 is my first season to actually enjoy every minute of it.”

Now, the “You Don’t Make Me Cry” singer says her workouts, diet, and lifestyle have all been revamped to help her on her journey.

In December 2023, Kelly first hinted at her weight loss on her talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show. At the time, she shared that she doesn't wear Spanx anymore, per Life & Style. "In this building it's so cold. I don't even need to wear Spanx anymore. I just wear them for warmth like thermals," Kelly said during a singing game.

Below, here are all the details on Kelly Clarkson's weight loss journey so far, and how she keeps a positive, healthy mindset:

A health scare kick-started her weight-loss journey.

On January 29, Kelly revealed on her show that she received a pre-diabetic diagnosis a few years ago after guest Kevin James complemented her appearance.

“Well, I was told I was pre-diabetic,” the host explained. “That’s literally what happened…and well, I wasn’t shocked. I was a tiny bit overweight.”

Kelly continued, “They were like, ‘You’re pre-diabetic. You’re right on the borderline.’ And I was like, ‘But I’m not there yet,” she said jokingly. “And then I waited two years and then I was like OK, I’ll do something about it.”

How did Kelly Clarkson lose weight?

In 2023, Kelly requested that her talk show be moved to the Big Apple because she needed a change. “We told NBC, ‘I’m not trying to sound ungrateful, I just can’t stay here anymore for my mental health; for me and my kids.’ They weren’t doing well either,” she said. “For the past few years, I’d just been showing up and smiling and doing what I’m supposed to do, but you can only compartmentalize so long until you break."

After moving to the city that never sleeps, Kelly had to walk a lot more. Relocating to New York City ultimately helped Kelly get her body moving and start losing weight.

“We go walk the dogs a few times at the park. We'll go for ice cream because my daughter will wear me down. We'll go make slime and we go to the museum,” she said. Kelly also added, “Walking in the city is quite the workout."

But that's not all she did. Kelly began making changes to her diet and wellness practices, too, which ultimately helped supplement her healthy lifestyle after her pre-diabetic diagnosis.

How did she change her diet?

Kelly shared with People that she’s re-vamped her diet, and is focusing on eating lots of protein.

“I eat a healthy mix,” she said. “I dropped weight because I’ve been listening to my doctor—a couple years I didn’t. And 90 percent of the time I’m really good at it because a protein diet is good for me anyway. I’m a Texas girl, so I like meat—sorry, vegetarians in the world!”

As Kelly noted, her diet is a healthy mix, meaning she still allows space for treats.

“But I still splurge. The other night I had a frozen yogurt with my daughter, and it was magical," she added.

One healthy snack Kelly loves? Rob’s Backstage Popcorn. The “Breakaway” singer collaborated with the popcorn brand to create her own signature flavor: Kelly's Classic BBQ.
The brand describes the flavor concept as being pulled from “Kelly's southern roots to create a sweet and smoky barbecue flavor unlike any popcorn you have had before.”

Kelly recently shared in an Instagram video promoting the popcorn that it’s one of her favorite snacks. “I like barbecue, I’m Texan,” she said. “I dare you to not eat the whole bag. It’s so good.” She also added that she loves the popcorn because it’s gluten-free and non-GMO, and “That’s all important to me.” (FYI: The popcorn is also plant-based, per the brand.)

In 2018, Kelly shared that she'd lost 37 pounds. "I know the industry loves the weight gone, but for me it wasn’t really the weight,” she told Today host Hoda Kotb, instead pointing to an autoimmune disease and thyroid issues as the reasons to shift her diet.

"For me, it wasn't really the weight. For me, it's I'm not on my medicine anymore," she said. "My blood work came back, and I haven't been on my medicine since February."

Kelly told Extra that she'd lost weight following The Plant Paradox book by Dr. Steven Gundry. The Plant Paradox Diet is a lectin-free diet that eliminates beans, legumes, whole grains, certain vegetables, and dairy.

"I literally read this book, and I did it for this autoimmune disease that I had and I had a thyroid issue, and now all my levels are back up," Kelly told Extra. "I'm not on medicine anymore because of this book. It's basically about how we cook our food, non-GMO, no pesticides, eating really organic...Literally, I haven't worked out at all!"

Watch this to learn about Kelly Clarkson's journey from American Idol to pop legend:

What workouts does Kelly do?

Aside from walking all over New York, Kelly hasn't shared a ton of details on her current gym routine. However, she previously opened up about her workout routine during a visit to The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2020.

"Sometimes I'm more fit and I get into kickboxing hardcore. And then sometimes I don't, and I'm like...I'd rather have wine," per People.

She started prioritizing her wellness practices.

Kelly shared she’s been indulging in infrared saunas, which have been found to improve sleep, relieve stress and pain, and help clear skin.

She's also started dabbling in cold plunges. “I just got a cold plunge because everybody wore me down,” Kelly added. Cold plunges are also known to help with cardiovascular health and can boost your metabolism, per Healthline.com.

She keeps a healthy mindset about weight loss.

While Kelly’s weight has gotten unnecessary attention for years, she told Glamour UK in 2020 that being her thinnest doesn't always mean she's feeling her most confident.

“I got on the No. 1 television show [The Voice] at my heaviest point because it was right after I had kids, and it was like they didn’t care,” Kelly shared with the magazine. “Paul (Telegdy, chairman of NBC Entertainment) hired me from NBC because he loved my personality, he loved that I connect with people, and I’m really raw and real. It had nothing to do with my sex appeal or my look aesthetically. It had to do with me as a person. I think it’s really up to artists to force people to have that mentality.”

In 2017, Kelly was at her lowest weight and admitted that she was having dark thoughts, per Page Six. “I was miserable, like inside and out, for four years of my life. But no one cared, because aesthetically you make sense," she said to Attitude Magazine.

Kelly, who has struggled with mental health, opened up about going to therapy and admitted that despite having a good friend group and supportive family, it benefited her to hear a mental health expert’s perspective on what she was going through, according to Self.

“They give you so many tools for how to navigate certain situations and also to have somebody outside your circle that doesn’t know anything, but just knows what’s happening in the now,” she told Entertainment Tonight Canada.

Kelly has also been open up about the struggles of finding new clothes when your body is changing. "I love losing weight, but here's the thing, jeans are so hard when you have a butt and a smaller waist," she said. "This is a first-world problem, I realize. And it's a great problem."

As she's navigating these changes, Kelly's sense of humor remains a constant. Recently, she cracked a joke about wearing form-fitting clothes while onstage during her Las Vegas residency. While leaning down to take a birthday shot with one of her fans, Kelly quipped that she couldn't bend over properly in the tight outfit. “I lost weight, and now they’re like, ‘Let’s get you in some tight sh*t!’” Kelly said as she took a knee to grab the drink from her fan. “I really can’t bend,” she giggled.

Kelly has denied using weight-loss supplements in the past.

In 2019, the singer tweeted, "Other fake news that’s going around about me is that I’ve been taking weird pills 4 weight loss or doing weird fad diets. All of this is not true. I ain’t got time 4 all that. I eat the same stuff I always have. It’s all just made w/different flours/sugars/ingredients."

Ultimately, Kelly told People that she’s learned to be kinder to herself, offering this advice to her 15-year-old self: “I’ve always been that kind of person that’s a little hard on oneself. I’d be like, ‘It’s not going to happen anytime soon, but eventually it’ll get easier. Around 41, you’re really going to get your s--- together.'"