Kathy Bates Says She's Lost 100 Lbs. in Last 6 Years: 'Don’t Think I’ve Been This Slim Since I Was in College'

The actress, 76, said she’s “ashamed” of how she previously let herself get so out of shape

Kathy Bates says her weight loss has helped tremendously with her work as an actress.

The 76-year-old recently spoke to Variety, in an interview published September 11, and shared her excitement about starring in the new CBS series Matlock after years of being cast in supporting roles.

She says that although it takes a lot of stamina to star in a broadcast drama, she’s up for the challenge thanks to her consistent weight loss.

“It’s helped me tremendously that, over the last six or seven years, I’ve lost 100 pounds,” she told the outlet. “I don’t think I’ve been this slim since I was in college.”

Bates shared that she was actually her heaviest when starring in the NBC drama Harry’s Law in 2011. “I had to sit down every moment that I could,” she said. “It was hard for me to walk. I’m ashamed I let myself get so out of shape, but now I have a tremendous amount of energy.”

Back in 2019, the actress spoke with Extra about losing 60 lbs. and the moment she knew it was time to make a lifestyle change. “I was facing diabetes — it runs in my family — and I really didn’t want to live with that,” she said, adding that now she’s “in the best health I’ve been in in years and I’m so grateful — it’s a miracle.”

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Bates also shared that she learned a valuable lesson from her niece that helps her to not overeat.

“After you eat for 20-30 minutes, you experience an involuntary sigh. It’s communication between stomach and brain telling you you had enough…and what I discovered is if you listen to that sigh and push that plate away for just five minutes, you realize you’re satisfied and you don’t have to eat more,” she said at the time.

The Academy Award-winning actress has previously spoken about the positive effect of weight loss on her post-cancer lymphedema, the swelling of arms or legs because of a blockage in the lymphatic system, which is a common “souvenir” after lymph node surgery.

“I was terrified of getting it,” Bates, who has beat cancer twice, told PEOPLE in January 2019.

Speaking about why she thinks lymphedema doesn’t get much attention, Bates explained that some doctors see the swollen limbs and assume that people are just overweight rather than dealing with a painful medical condition.

“Some doctors think it’s cosmetic and not life-threatening,” she said. “Doctors spend 15 to 30 minutes on the entire lymphatic system in medical school, so if someone goes to their general practitioner with swollen limbs, pain and heaviness the doctor will have no idea what it is. So it goes undiagnosed and the disease progresses for years and gets worse and worse.”

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