Wynonna Judd weight loss journey on Hoda Kotb's Total Health TV Show (2004)

she is a country music legend since she

exploded on the scene 20 years ago as

the younger half of the mother-daughter

Duo The Judds Winona Judd has won

countless Awards sold millions of albums

and launched an equally admirable solo

career but despite all the high-flying

success Winona struggles with some very

down-to-earth problems her wait for one

and that was just one of the things we

talked about when I sat down with her

what to say

Winona Judd's life through the years has

been that Perfect Blend of heartbreak

and inspiration her public highs marred

by personal lows a mother's illness

never meeting her biological father a

painful divorce and in November 2003 an

arrest for drunk driving life is about

choices and obviously I've made some bad

ones but on the good days I celebrate

you know and do the Hallelujah dance

which sometime I'll show you this year

Winona celebrated her 40th birthday and

she is taking full control perhaps most

visibly of her weight a problem that has

plagued her for years you look great by

the way do you feel I feel you feel

terrific do you feel lighter and feel

better

know if I'll ever feel lighter I think I

feel healthier she's taking it slow

learning to eat healthier and exercise

more she wants to lose one to two pounds

a week for Wynonna this is a lifestyle

change not just a weight loss plan how's

the weight loss going um it's a disaster

and some days I have to admit do you

stand on the scale every day the scale

is evil come on like as if you don't

know if you're losing weight come on

people so you can feel it when you put

your pants on or your Tops on you just

know it yeah you don't see everybody

going up to men going hey what size are

you you know but we live in this culture

that it's all about oh my God she's a

size 10.

you know filmer from here up Wynonna

says her dependence on food was a hard

habit to break what's been the toughest

part about the weight loss for you

stopping the addiction because I still

go to food for Comfort they say it's

worse than coming off drugs because with

drugs and alcohol you choose to not go

those places I don't go to the bar with

food you have to have it right so I'm

having to learn to re-establish my love

affair with it it's been my best friend

it's been there in the hotel rooms when

nobody was it's what's your secret

sneaking food because mine's carbs at

night if I'm on stage at nine o'clock

and I come off stage and I've done a

great show I definitely want a snack I'm

learning now that I have choices to

celebrate myself and to give to myself I

don't have to feed myself it is Winona's

sharp sense of humor that helps her to

keep a healthy perspective you've been

asked like what is your goal weight what

weight do you want to be at and what do

you always say this woman the other day

said well how's the weight loss going

and I said well it's really a disaster

but and she just kind of looked at me

like well bless your heart and I said

you know I'm trying to get back to my

original weight eight pounds and 15

ounces and she was like okay bye with

the support of her family friends and

fans she's real then those achieving

good health like finding Love Takes Time

I think a lot of women make the mistake

of trying to fit into that I have to

weigh you know 100 pounds less than I do

today we get so caught up with that I my

whole philosophy is I just went away a

little bit less next week than I do

today okay it's baby steps I'm not going

to do it overnight

[Music]

day