Former DWTS Pro Speaks Out Following Dramatic Transformation originally appeared on Parade.
Former Dancing With the Stars pro Cheryl Burke is speaking out after making some changes in her life and transforming her look along the way. Burke spent 17 years of her life on the dance competition show and has openly talked about her struggles with body dysmorphia.
“I am done being judged,” Burke, 41, told Us Weekly in an exclusive interview published on August 6. Burke talked about the ongoing chatter surrounding her recent body changes and how she’s been accused of using weight loss drugs like Ozempic.
“It’s a tired subject, and it’s not just talking and commenting,” Burke told the outlet. She went on to say that she’d never dream of using Ozempic (or similar GLP-1 drugs) because she’s afraid of needles.
“And I’ve heard of side effects, people not feeling well, certain things that happen that are too gross to share. I’m not willing to feel like that. I changed my eating habits. I stopped eating past 7 p.m. and it changed my whole body. It wasn’t so much about a number on the scale as it was about how I feel,” she said.
Burke also said that she’s been receiving food delivery via Z.E.N. The company supplies healthy, organic meals to aid in weight management and overall nutrition.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Cheryl Burke (@cherylburke)
Burke’s transformation goes beyond weight loss. She’s now sporting long hair — with bangs, for example.
As for the critics, Burke says that she’s been going through natural life changes, including perimenopause, which has contributed to the differences that people see.
“Being 41 is a change. My career, relationship status and where I live have changed. Those are huge changes; and you can either fight it or you can embrace it; but if you fight it, it’s going to delay the process. I’m definitely going through perimenopause and boy, are my hormones changing, and it’s OK,” she said.
Burke recently celebrated 7 years of sobriety.
“I used to believe alcohol gave me confidence, connection, and control. Turns out, it stole those things quietly — day by day — until I couldn’t recognize my own reflection,” she captioned an Instagram post last month.
“Today, I no longer chase chaos dressed as fun. I no longer tolerate connections that require me to abandon myself. And I no longer mistake numbness for peace,” she added.
Burke left Dancing With the Stars in 2022. In February 2025, she inked a deal with ABC’s First Look.
Former DWTS Pro Speaks Out Following Dramatic Transformation first appeared on Parade on Aug 6, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
