Kym Whitley is a ray of sunshine who makes people smile and feel seen. Beyond acting and her popular podcast, she’s gearing up for a new Varnell Hill spin-off, and she’s been open about her weight loss journey and the physical, mental, and medical steps that helped her succeed.
We sat down with Kym to find out how she turned her intentions into lasting results.
The Price of Weight Stigma
Kym is blunt about the professional fees of heavy bias.
“I’ve lost roles to small actresses, actresses, you know, because of heavy stigma and bias,” Kym shared.
“People say things like, Oh, you dress well. You dress really well for a big girl. I’m like, that’s not a compliment.
Medical Wake-Up Call
Kym explained how the turning point was at the doctor’s office. An honest medical diagnosis gives him a concrete path forward.
“Ah, well, you know, I’ve had obesity in my adult life, you know, yo-yo back and forth, and I’ve always been stuck,” Kym said.
Realized that he had one OBESITY The diagnosis helped change how she understood her health. The actress remembers the time she asked for help. “I went to my doctor, and I was like, I can’t take it.” She pressed for practical answers about the treatment and how it will fit into her life.
Get the Support You Need
For Kym, Zepbound offers her a way forward, a way for her to lose weight and sustain it, finally breaking free from the cycle of losing and gaining it back.
Kym shared about the time her doctor changed everything for her. He says it opened his eyes to the fact that obesity is a disease, something he never understood before. That shift changed how she saw her own struggles. Instead of treating his weight as a personal failing, he began to see it the way others view other chronic conditions, such as diabetes, where one realizes that they are managing a real medical problem and not a character flaw.
She went on to explain the complexities of the questions she had when she first heard about medicine; she even wondered what people would think of her using this tool.
“Sometimes, you know, doctors, they don’t have but ten minutes in the office, but to understand what I’m doing, I go to zepbound.lilly.com, and I read about it,” said Kym.
Kym describes Zepbound as a tool, and having this tool makes a difference this time, and she believes it can improve the lives of others.
Kym partnered with Lilly because she found something that helped her, and she wanted to share it openly. He uses his voice and comedy to lift obesity from the shadows and make it a normal conversation. As he continued to talk about his experience, he even turned his message into a little jingle:
“Zepbound with diet and exercise, Zepbound with diet and exercise,” he says.
What is Zepbound?
According to Eli Lilly and Company, Zepbound is a once-weekly injectable prescription drug that contains tirzepatide, and it can help adults with obesity and some overweight adults who have weight-related medical problems lose excess body weight when used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
Ask your doctor before starting Zepbound or other GLP-1 receptor activator drugs. A clinician can explain how the drug works, review medical history, discuss possible side effects, and determine whether treatment is appropriate.
Center Himself
Kym talks about the constant balancing act of motherhood, work, and taking care of herself. She explains that pouring into herself is what allows her to show her loved ones. It was something he had to learn over time.
“When we say that we put ourselves first, it’s not about being selfish, because when you put yourself first, it’s for everyone that I’m trying to show.”
“I will be there. I will be there for my fans because I take care of myself,” he said.
Kym has shown what it looks like to invest in herself, both mentally and physically, as she has put in the work to improve her health and gathered practical strategies to support her progress. If you or someone you know is navigating weight loss, know that support is there, and options are available.
What is Varnell Hill?
Varnell Hill is one of Kym’s newer projects, and she’s excited about the dynamics that audiences can expect. The series mixes workplace comedy with a talk show format, bringing real guests and live energy.
“Varnell Hill is a spin-off, if we can say so, of the Martin Lawrence show … It’s a sitcom with a built-in talk show,” he said.
That chemistry made her work easier and helped her maintain a routine that sustained her. Kym’s new outlook on her health came and she set “I think 15 minutes, you know, I could do 10, but I have to do something. [on the elliptical],” Kym shared.
Short bursts of movement and simple daily choices keep his energy steady through training, taping, and all the demands of his craft.
No premiere date has been confirmed, but Kym has checked the schedule and teased, “This summer, this summer.”
Resources:
Zepbound® (tirzepatide) Injection for Adults with Obesity or OSA
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