At a Glance
- Stefani Sosa, 26, says she took Ozempic while competing on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars
- The pro dancer wanted her first on-camera season “to be perfect” and felt pressure to look her best
- Sosa has since stopped the GLP-1 medication and previously underwent liposuction 360 surgery
- Why it matters: Sosa’s candor spotlights the intense body-image demands placed on professional performers
Stefani Sosa is opening up about using the diabetes drug Ozempic during her debut season on Dancing with the Stars. In a Jan. 10 TikTok the 26-year-old pro dancer told followers she started the medication before and throughout season 33 because she “just wanted to look as best as I can as possible.”
Why She Started Ozempic
In the video-filmed while she got ready for an event with her brother and fellow pro Ezra Sosa-Stefani said she had one goal in mind: perfection.
“It was my first time living my dream on camera, and I just wanted it to be perfect,” she explained, adding that she had already been on the drug “for a long time” before the season began.
Ozempic is a GLP-1 receptor agonist approved to treat type 2 diabetes. It curbs appetite and slows digestion, leading to significant weight loss in many users.
Life After the Medication
Sosa told followers she is “currently off of it right now” and believes her body “has handled that really well.” She offered no details about tapering or side effects, but her admission underscores how quickly the drug has moved from diabetes clinics into pop-culture circles.
Previous Body-Contouring Surgery
This isn’t the first time Sosa has gone public about physically transforming herself for her career. In December she revealed she underwent liposuction 360, a procedure that removes fat around the entire midsection-abdomen, flanks, and back.
- Goal: “Shape my body” after struggling her “whole life” to achieve the silhouette she wanted
- Motivation: Frustration with industry pressure dictating how dancers should look
- Results: Combined with a personal trainer and cleaner eating, the surgery delivered what she calls “the best decision I ever made”
Posting before-and-after images, Sosa said the change boosted both her confidence and happiness.
Industry Pressure
The dancer framed both the surgery and the Ozempic use as personal choices made for her career longevity. “I was so fed up with the industry telling me how my body should look,” she said. “I needed to do it for me. So I did.”
Her comments highlight the demanding body standards within professional dance, where performers often face scrutiny over weight and shape as much as technical skill.
Reaction and Risks
Sosa did not address whether she experienced side effects from Ozempic, which can include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Nor did she detail how she obtained the drug, which has faced supply shortages as demand has soared for off-label weight loss use.
Fans commenting on her TikTok praised her honesty, while some health professionals have expressed concern about celebrities normalizing use of a diabetes medication for cosmetic reasons.
What’s Next
With season 33 behind her and the medication stopped, Sosa appears focused on maintaining her results through training and nutrition. She has not indicated whether she plans to return for another season of Dancing with the Stars.
For now, the dancer seems content sharing her journey candidly, hoping to remove stigma around body modification while acknowledging the very real pressures performers face.
Key Takeaways
- Stefani Sosa used Ozempic during her rookie season to meet self-imposed aesthetic goals
- She combined the drug with liposuction 360 and lifestyle changes to reshape her physique
- Sosa says she is now off Ozempic and credits her surgical results and fitness routine for maintaining her look
- Her story illustrates the intense body-image expectations within professional dance entertainment
