Josh Gad Reveals 'Life-Changing' 40-Lb. Weight Loss

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Josh Gad's weight loss journey has been nothing short of transformative.

The actor, best known for voicing Olaf in Frozen, recently opened up about shedding 40 pounds, revealing that a medication has been the key to his slimmer figure.

In a conversation on the Monday, January 27 episode of the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman, Gad, 43, shared that he has been using a GLP-1 medication to help him lose weight. These types of medication can help regulate appetite and blood sugar.

Josh Gad
Josh Gad attends the "Speak." Premiere during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival at Library Center Theatre on January 23, 2025 in Park City, Utah. Maya Dehlin Spach/Getty Images

"It has suppressed, in a great way, that noise," Gad explained. "When I wake up, I feel hunger pains, and so much of that is psychological. And what this does is it takes away that signal."

Despite his success, Gad admitted that finding the right approach wasn't easy. After losing the initial weight, he faced an unexpected setback when the first medication he tried caused him to develop diverticulitis, a gastrointestinal condition. However, his new regimen has been working out. "I'm figuring out this new one, and it is life-changing. But it also doesn't negate the fact that it can't be in the place of having a healthy relationship with food," Gad shared.

Initially, the actor revealed he struggled with guilt, feeling like he might be "cheating" by relying on the drug. "I'm having my own journey with it," Gad noted, admitting that he still feels conflicted at times. His wife, Iva Darvish, has also expressed concerns, fearing that the medication might prevent him from addressing the deeper reasons for his weight gain. Gad acknowledged that, despite his concerns about how people perceive him — particularly his long-standing image as the "funny fat guy" — he is more focused on being healthy for his family.

Gad and Darvish met in 2004 after starring in a performance together. After getting married in 2008, the pair welcomed two children: Ava, 13, and Isabella, 10.

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About the writer

Jane LaCroix

Jane is an entertainment writer and social media manager based in the US specializing in viral trends and celebrity news. ... Read more

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