'Happy Gilmore 2''s Kym Whitley on the Surprising Perks of Her Weight Loss: 'I'm Enjoying Tying My Shoes!'

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5 days ago

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Kym Whitley is starring in Happy Gilmore 2
She is also partnering with Zepbound after using the GLP-1 drug to lose weight over the past year
She gives one piece of advice to those who may be struggling with their weightActress and comedian Kym Whitley has one piece of advice for those who want to begin their own weight loss journey: Patience is key.
'Please, [even] this hairstyle wasn't an overnight thing,' Whitley, 63, tells PEOPLE. 'Everything good takes a moment — you have to remember to just take it one day at a time.'
The Happy Gilmore 2 actress — who stars opposite Adam Sandler (reprising his role from the 1996 film), Bad Bunny, Margaret Qualley and Julie Bowen in the sequel, out July 25 — spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about her own recent weight loss, done with the help of Zepbound, an injectable prescription medication that helps manage obesity.
'I've struggled with obesity most of my adult life — I've lost weight, I've gained weight and I felt stuck,' Whitley says. 'Some trusted friends mentioned Zepbound. I called my doctor and when he showed me Zepbound, I was all in.'
She also emphasizes that she incorporated the drug into her overall health goals, rather than trying to target a specific amount to lose. After addressing her weight management issues with her doctor, she incorporated the drug into her diet and exercise routine.
'It's not about looking at the number on the scale or losing weight to fit into a dress,' she says. "I would encourage people to look at the long-term goal.'
Since losing weight (though she doesn't want to share exactly how much, saying she's more focused on feeling good) Whitley is motivated to consistently eat healthier and exercise daily — even if it's only for a few minutes a day. And she's seeing results beyond the scale.
'I'll be honest, I'm enjoying tying my shoes.' Whitley says. "I have found enjoyment in travel again, I really enjoy that. Before [the weight loss], it was a little difficult, but now I'm enjoying riding a bike. [And] I find enjoyment in playing with my son."
Whitley welcomed her son Joshua through adoption in 2011, and shares that prioritizing her health is important as a single parent.
"I try to balance my lifestyle for him," she says. "That's why I started on this weight loss journey, so that I could feel unstuck, because I was stuck for a long time."
And balance is critical, not just for health, but for her busy life as well.
"It is not easy, being a mother and balancing all that. I go on tour, I do my movies, I do my television shows, but I always make a niche or time for my son," she says. "And the same way I make a niche and a time for me, and I do a healthy lifestyle so that I can be a better mother for my son. And that's really what I want to encourage everyone, that's what I want to tell everyone: To really get involved and find out how they can get a better, healthier lifestyle, to talk to their doctors so we can become better mothers."
Read the original article on People