Community’s Yvette Nicole Brown’s Weight Loss: How She Shed Pounds and Got Her Diabetes Under Control
An expert says the actress's balanced approach can work for you, too!
When 53-year-old actress Yvette Nicole Brown married in December 2024, she exuded joy (she told People she finally got her “happy ending”) and turned heads in a fitted gown. Today, she’s happier and healthier than ever after losing weight and getting her diabetes under control. Since she started her health journey in 2014, the star has been outspoken about her transformation. Read to find out the simple strategies that spurred Yvette Nicole Brown’s weight loss and how she learned to steady her blood sugar. (Good news: These tips can work for you, too!)
Everything Yvette Nicole Brown has said about her weight loss
In 2021, The Emmy nominee appeared on the podcast Hypochondriactor and opened up about developing type 2 diabetes during her time on the sitcom Community. In fact, she said she “gave herself” the disease by eating excessive amounts of sugary snacks like donuts on set while shooting the series.
“I spent a lot of time at the craft services table, and I watched myself get bigger and bigger,” she said. “And if you watch the show, you can see me get bigger and bigger. And I got a pre-diabetes diagnosis maybe in season one, and then by season three it was full-blown diabetes.”
Woman's World Answers
Priyanka Wali, MD, co-host of the podcast along with actor Sean Hayes, offered her professional insight and called sugar an “addictive substance,” and Brown agreed.
“I swear I would walk past the donuts and go, ‘You don’t have to eat five,’ and my body would go, ‘Yes, you do,’” said Brown. “So I can imagine that it calls you the way drugs call the people that are addicted. I know that when I was on Community, I was excessively eating sugar.”
The actress went on to explain that her skin became extremely dry and itchy, she gained weight and was very thirsty.
She learned how to eat in moderation
Since her diagnosis and after leaving the show in 2014, Brown said she had cut back significantly on sugar, which became simpler as she wasn’t constantly surrounded by it. Still, she wouldn’t totally deprive herself of the occasional sweet treat.
“I believe everything in moderation. So I’m not someone that’s like, ‘I’m never going to have a piece of cake,’ but I don’t have a whole cake,” she explained during the episode. “And I don’t have a whole cake every day, or every week. And if I say, ‘I want to go to Cheesecake Factory and I’m going to get this cheesecake,’ then I’ll make sure that I use the treadmill for an extra hour that day to try to burn off some of the sugar that’s now in my body, drink more water and other simple things you can do.”
She made her health a priority
Speaking to E! News in 2014, Brown discussed her 10-month weight loss journey and explained that her priority was improving her health markers rather than her appearance.
“When they tell you they’re going to take your feet, you stop eating donuts,” she said about her diabetes diagnosis. “When it’s for vanity, it might be hard because there are reasons to stop. But when it’s for health, you kind of go, ‘I want to keep my feet!’”
In addition to practicing portion control, she became keen on making healthy swaps, like trading alcohol for a glass of water and adding vegetables to her diet.
When asked how much weight she had lost at the time, the Drake & Josh star said she wasn’t watching the scale, but instead keeping tabs on her blood sugar levels which were in normal limits.
How to make Yvette Nicole Brown’s weight loss strategies work for you
We asked a fitness and nutrition expert how you can utilize Brown’s methods to shed unwanted pounds and steady your blood sugar. Here’s how to get started:
Practice portion control
Maintaining a calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than you burn) over time is a necessity for weight loss, and being mindful about the amount of food you eat can help achieve that, says Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, Fitness and Nutrition Advisor at Garage Gym Reviews. But as Brown mentioned, moderation is more impactful than completely avoiding certain foods.
“By eating smaller, balanced portions, you avoid overeating while still satisfying your hunger,” Mohr explains. “Allowing yourself to occasionally indulge helps keep you satisfied, making it easier to stick to your plan long-term.”
To help with portion control, Mohr suggests using smaller plates, measuring your servings and eating more nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, lean proteins and fiber-rich whole grains that keep you feeling fuller longer. “Mindful eating, like slowing down and focusing on your food, can also help you recognize when you’re satisfied,” he notes.
Scale back on sugar
Brown’s weight loss was a result of actively taking steps to lower her A1C levels. Lowering blood sugar improves insulin sensitivity, which helps your body use energy more effectively and store less fat, explains Mohr.
“Stabilizing blood sugar levels can also make you feel less hungry and help with cravings, making it easier to maintain a calorie deficit,” he adds. “Because added sugar is so prevalent in [many people’s] diet, try to figure out sources of it in your diet and gradually replace them with healthier options like fresh fruit or unsweetened alternatives. Focus on balanced meals with protein, fiber and healthy fats to keep blood sugar steady and prevent spikes.”
As Brown noted, reducing sugar can be a challenge. Doing so gradually is key, says Mohr. To start, try to cut back on drinks with added sugar, like specialty drinks at coffee shops, soft drinks, sweet tea and lemonade, he recommends. Then, work on limiting desserts or snacks.
“Replacing habits like eating candy with activities like chewing gum or drinking herbal tea can also help,” Mohr offers.
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