Updated Jan. 15, 2026, 1:35 p.m. ET
Weight Loss and Wellness: Heather Gay on GLP-1s and Self-Acceptance
“I’ve always been a big-boned Pioneer Girl,” says Heather Gay, 51, of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” and cofounder of Beauty Lab + Laser.The reality star is candidly discussing her evolving views on weight and wellness, a conversation she’s increasingly comfortable having as she navigates a personal journey with GLP-1 medications and a partnership with Atkins.
Releasing the Burden of Shame
Gay began using GLP-1s in 2023, experimenting with diffrent brands to find what suited her best, acknowledging the commonality of side effects. She’s complementing this with Atkins products, like high-protein shakes, recognizing the importance of nutrition while experiencing appetite suppression from the medication. “Whole foods, of course, are still favored by dietitians,” she notes.
For Gay, the journey isn’t just about numbers on a scale. She reflects on growing up in a culture-and within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-where a smaller stature and quiet demeanor were highly valued. “In a culture and church where being small, quiet and docile was highly, highly valued, I stood out like a big thumb,” she says. “As much as I didn’t want to make weight any part of my identity,the world continually did,and I just had to constantly overcome that.”
That scrutiny followed her as she built her Beauty Lab + Laser med spa business and gained prominence through her reality TV career.”My weight had not kept me from getting or accomplishing any of my goals,” she asserts. “If I were deeply depressed and needed medication to be functioning,no one would shame me for it. And if you’re going to shame me for being heavy, you’re going to shame me for using GLP-1s, I am done with shame in my life. I am very happy, and I feel like I’m very successful, and having this wellness journey and feeling comfortable and healthy in my body has been like the cherry on top of it all.”
Gay hopes her openness will encourage others on their own weight loss journeys to silence negative self-talk. “It’s not your fault. There’s no one born superior to you. The skinny girl next to you isn’t smarter, isn’t more dedicated, doesn’t have more willpower. It’s genetics, it’s science. Just figure out what’s going to work for you and not change who you are as a person.”
