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Should we call him… Skinny Joe?
Fat Joe confessed to using Ozempic after shedding a whopping 200 pounds in recent years.
The “All the Way Up” rapper credited the Type 2 diabetes drug — which many celebrities have turned to for weight loss — while sharing his tips and tricks to slimming down in a new interview.
Fat Joe, pictured here in February, admitted to using Ozempic to help him lose 200 pounds. Billboard via Getty Images The “All the Way Up” rapper explained that the weight loss drug helped him with portion control. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock“Ozempic says you may only have two pieces of your favorite stuff,” Fat Joe, 54, told Us Weekly.
The rapper (real name: Joseph Antonio Cartagena) didn’t specify when he began using the injection or if he’s still taking it.
However, he said his newfound knowledge over what kind of foods to avoid has also contributed to his dramatic weight loss transformation.
Fat Joe, pictured here in October 2019, said he’s also cut down on the carbs. Getty Images for TIDAL The rapper, pictured here in 2002, once weighed 470 pounds at his heaviest. WireImageStay one step ahead with all the exclusive tea on your favorite reality TV stars!
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“We just try to eat everything with the least carbs as possible,” he told the outlet. “So we try to stay away from the bread, the pasta, the rice. That’s the smartest way to eat.”
Fat Joe added that he’s also learned portion control and how to eat in moderation.
“Like this morning, I ate breakfast, I had this toast. I cut the corner off, ate it and kept it moving,” he explained. “Normally I would’ve ate [sic] the whole thing. But, you know, that’s what we do. We cut carbs and try to be smarter.”
Despite his slimmed-down figure, the “Lean Back” crooner assured fans that his signature stage name isn’t going anywhere — and they have his wife, Lorena Cartagena, to thank for that.
Fat Joe, pictured here in August 2023, also clarified that he wouldn’t be changing his stage name. Getty Images The “Lean Back” rapper, pictured here in September, previously talked about his weight loss last summer. FilmMagic“My wife would kill me. She likes me being a big boy,” he joked. “She hallucinates like I’m still that big boy. She loves that.”
The “Flow Joe” rapper initially revealed that he dropped the weight after once weighing in at 470 pounds in a July 2023 interview with Men’s Health.
“Your body’s just a computer,” he told the outlet at the time. “It reads stuff you eat in different ways.”
Fat Joe shared that he became more aware of his overall health over time — and with age. He started paying attention to things like his blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
He explained that his mental health also played a role in his physical health. fatjoe/Instagram Fat Joe, pictured here in September, joins several other celebs who have turned to Ozempic for weight loss. Getty ImagesHowever, he also insinuated that his mental health played a role in his physical health while reflecting on his battle with depression.
“There isn’t a place you can go to where you get away from it, because you’re fighting your mind,” he admitted to Men’s Health. “You wake up, and then the minute you think about it, your brain sends you a message to say, ‘We’re not supposed to be happy.’ And then you fall right back into depression.”
Fat Joe joins a slew of other celebrities –– including Kathy Bates, Kelly Clarkson and Tracy Morgan –– who have turned to semaglutide medications for weight loss.