Jonathan Van Ness addresses claims he’s no longer ‘body positive’ after 70lb weight loss: ‘I’m all about body neutrality’
Van Ness first revealed he started using a GLP-1 medication for weight loss in September 2024 during a January TikTok
By Callum Wells
Jonathan Van Ness has responded to the “conversation” around his recent weight loss and his choice to use GLP-1 medication.
The Queer Eye star addressed to criticism suggesting he is no longer “body positive” in a TikTok video posted on Thursday, Oct. 30.
“What do you mean? I’m all about body neutrality,” Van Ness said. “The way that you look does not define your worth, doesn’t define your lovableness. You are worth love and worth celebration, no matter what your body looks like.”
“I was always really cute, and I always felt cute. But I just didn’t feel good, and now I feel good” – Jonathan Van Ness on his body transformation
In the video, Van Ness explained his decision to start taking a GLP-1 medication. While these drugs are primarily approved for managing Type 2 diabetes, they have also been used for weight loss. Van Ness said he experienced a “medical issue” in 2023 and decided to begin the medication if a colonoscopy didn’t reveal anything “severely wrong”, because he “just didn’t feel good”.
@jvn_official Wanted to share this 💅
♬ original sound – JVN
Since losing weight and attending Solidcore Pilates classes, Van Ness said his body has “never looked like this”.
“My body’s never in my whole life – I’ve always wanted to have an ab,” he said. “I’ve never had abs. And I feel really good, so I’m taking my shirt off a lot.”
Van Ness added: “I was always really cute, and I always felt cute. But I just didn’t feel good, and now I feel good.”
Van Ness started using a GLP-1 medication for weight loss in September 2024
Towards the end of the video, he told fans he feels “like a f***ing minx right now” and wants to look back at images of himself in his 30s “looking cute” when he is older. “So that’s why the top’s off, because I feel really cute,” he said.
Van Ness first revealed he started using a GLP-1 medication for weight loss in September 2024 during a January TikTok. At the time, he said it helped him manage his eating disorder. By February, he had lost 66 lbs.
“I, for the first time in my life, got control over my food intake,” Van Ness said in January. “It helped me so massively, and that’s part of why I wanna be honest with you about it because I know how important asking for help is, and how much asking for help can change your life in terms of healing. I needed help.”
GLP‑1 Medication: What you should know
GLP‑1 medications such as liraglutide (Saxenda®) and semaglutide (Wegovy®) are only prescribed for weight management if you are already under the care of a specialist weight‑management service.
You will usually only be eligible if your body‑mass index (BMI) is 35 or above — or 32.5 or above if you’re of Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African or African‑Caribbean origin — and you have another weight‑related health problem.
These medications work alongside a reduced‑calorie diet and increased physical activity; they are not a substitute for lifestyle changes.
Common side‑effects include nausea, stomach pain, constipation, diarrhoea and reduced appetite.
Before starting, your healthcare professional will check your full medical history and monitor you — for example your weight and how well your kidneys are working.
Source: NHS website