Rev. Al Sharpton’s unrecognizable appearance in new photo leaves fans stunned after years of drastic weight loss

The Rev. Al Sharpton’s dramatic weight loss has recently raised concerns amongst many who remember the once-obese civil rights leader before he became the lean, polished MSNBC commentator viewers watch on daily basis on cable news.

There has been much speculation about his transformation over the past 20 years, with fans wondering whether he underwent bariatric surgery, had serious health issues, or followed a special weight loss program.

But the justice leader, fondly generally known as Rev. Al, says he maintains a strict weight loss program and exercise regime, which he shows his followers on social media.

As he approaches his seventieth birthday, some fans have begun to fret about his increasingly slimmer appearance, fearing the beloved activist could also be fading away.

Sharpton’s photo pose in casual Nike workout gear appeared on social media, showing the National Action Network founder sitting in a chair and holding his hands up. The image was posted in June by a meme account.

However, his noticeably slim figure has sparked mixed reactions, with one commenter joking: “I don’t know what weight loss challenge Al Sharpton is on, but could someone tell him he’s the winner?”

Comments ranged from jokes to real concern.

Some commented, “Looks like a real Bobble Head,” to which one person replied, “I said the same thing, looks like a mess.” Meanwhile, others jokingly speculated, “This guy is training for the Olympics in Ozempic.”

However, amid the humor, some fans expressed concern, noting, “Yeah, he’s lost enough weight; he’s starting to look unhealthy,” and urging Sharpton to “Eat something, Al!” Two concerned observers said, “He really doesn’t look good,” and “He might be sick.”

Then someone chimed in in the comments and informed the general public, “He started losing weight after he found out he had diabetes.”

Sharpton has spoken publicly about his battle with type 2 diabetes. He was diagnosed with diabetes in 1993. He has publicly detailed his efforts to manage the disease through weight loss program and exercise.

At his peak, Sharpton weighed 305 kilos, which shouldn’t be surprising given his previous weight loss program, which frequently included fried chicken at every meal. The 5-foot-10 civil rights activist has since undergone a remarkable transformation, shedding nearly half of his body weight and reaching 129 kilos in just 4 and a half years.

“I actually lost more weight than I have!” Sharpton common in an interview with People magazine in 2014, emphasizing that his transformation was completed without surgical intervention.

Sharpton has struggled together with his weight over the years, going through various phases. In 2001, he lost 30 kilos during a 43-day hunger strike in a Puerto Rico prison after protesting U.S. military bombings on the island, but he regained the weight during his 2004 presidential campaign.

The turning point in his life was 2006, when his daughter was born. Ashley’s clever remark about his weight and a lightweight punch in the stomach spurred him into motion.

“Rev said he only ate KFC and gained up to 300 pounds and now weighs about 130 pounds,” one social media user wrote.

He began by eliminating meat and starch from his weight loss program and later switched to a more rigorous weight loss program.

In 2014, he reported that his day by day intake typically features a breakfast of three slices of whole grain toast, a green Juice Press “Doctor Earth” juice, and an English breakfast tea sweetened with stevia. Lunch features a banana and more tea, in addition to a straightforward salad with ingredients resembling lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, hard-boiled eggs, and a balsamic dressing.

On his doctor’s advice, he also ate whole wheat toast to supply his body with additional carbohydrates and protein.

Sharpton’s commitment to health includes morning workouts, often shared on Instagram. His dinner might consist of one other slice of toast and a Juice Press watermelon juice. On weekends, he adds a small portion of fish for extra protein, again as advisable by his doctor.

Although Sharpton stays a politically influential figure, he’s slim and petite.

There isn’t any public information available on his measurements, but when his weight still hovers around 129 kilos, he’s just above the brink for being underweight, in accordance with the National Institutes of Health’s body mass index calculator.

Despite these concerns, Sharpton insists he’s healthier than ever.