Important Note: This article is not written to denounce overweight individuals, nor it's penned to imply any form of negative assertions or connotations to being overweight. The author and Hollywoodmask understand and respect both the Body Positivity and Body Neutrality movement in the sense that we should treat each other with empathy and strive together to imagine a world in which we can channel our inner beauty and potentialities. 

This article will focus on American actress, comedian, and singer Liz Torres's weight loss journey and how it all happened. 

Everyone started talking about Liz Torres' weight loss after she replayed Miss Paddy's character in Netflix's reboot series Gilmore Girls: A Year In Life in 2016.

The point of discussion was how she looked unrecognizable in the rebooted version, where she played the role of a dance teacher. The 75-year-old actress (born September 27, 1947) knocked the socks off her audience when she showed off her admirable weight loss as she reprised her unforgettable avatar.

If you didn't know, the Bronx native is best known for her role as Stars Hollow's resident dance teacher Miss Patty in the series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) and its Netflix reboot Gilmore Girls: A Year In Life (2016) alongside Lauren Grahm and Alexis Bledel.

Netizens online wondered if her weight loss was natural as rumors of plastic surgery also chipped in.  

Liz Torres in 2013 (Left) vs. 2016 (Right)

Liz Torres in 2013 (Left) vs. 2016 (Right) Source: Life and Style Magazine

Read the full content to get the complete story, from her weight loss journey to her testimony about how her heavy physique made her feel and the social stereotypes she had to endure just because of her appearance.

Miss Patty on 'A Year In Life' looked different because of Liz Torres' weight loss 

As she was obese with a large wide body, Torres had to do humorous roles that somehow weren't marked by her talent or love for acting. And such roles made her a place in the industry she is in now.

However, she gained the strong role of Miss Patty in both the series Gilmore Girls and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life out of her acting abilities. Nobody could replace her, even in the reboot, due to her professionalism and sincerity toward her character.

Truly, the reboot stunned fans as they were expecting to see the same heavyweight Miss Patty, but there was a younger-looking lady with a smelter physique. And they wondered what led to such an amazing transformation.

Liz Torres (Miss Patty) and Sally Struthers (Babette) talking to Rory and Lorelai on Gilmore Girls: A Year In Life (Source: Youtube)

Torres' weight loss journey began, importantly, in 2006, as she realized that she had to lose weight. As a result, fans noticed changes in her physique for the first time in season 7 in 2007. 

As per Torres, she always wanted to look slim and lose weight because of being overlooked by her fellow celebrities. She was bothered of being unheard and unseen just because of her appearance.

Critically, she was often overlooked for strong roles given to thinner actresses. Instead, she usually played a maid, clown, and other generic roles. Hence, it was always her wish to shed pounds.

But the tasks at hand weren't easy for the talented actress. She weighs over 250 pounds, making her feel confused about where to get started. She became a victim of anxiety and depression, resulting in more weight gain as she had fewer physical activities and couldn't get an effective diet.

Finally, in 2008, she made up her dreams by losing 50 pounds in just two years. She proved that she was focused on losing weight and wasn't only keeping it as something that had always been on the back of her mind. 

Back in the '90s, she had even acknowledged to the LA Times that she didn't enjoy how she appeared because she appeared "heavy."   

I’m heavy. This is the reality. I don’t kick myself about it, but I don’t think I look fabulous in my clothes. I know that in my suits I look like a box walking down the street. That’s the thing that hurts me most. Thank God, there’s a product out there that you can wear that’s passable. It’s corrective dressing, but it’s not who I am and ultimately that’s very hard.

The situation was so dire that Torres refrained from even looking at fashion magazines because they featured clothing that she couldn't even think of wearing. In the same interview, she shared that she had always wanted to lose weight and understood that being overweight could take a huge toll on one's body. 

People would not look at her because of her weight & stereotypes

Being a Puerto Rican Latina in Hollywood is a limitation on its own. Add to that the societal nature of stereotyping people based on their physical characteristics, and she has had to face many stereotypical roles to get where she is today.

Even as a professional, Torres had a lot of trouble making herself heard on-set. It was almost as if no one wanted to hear her out. Still, she took this rather sportingly and supported every heavy cast and crew member she could see.

I would go on the set and people would not look at me. They also tend not to hear you. You have to make them focus on you. If I really want to be heard, I have that command but a lot of heavy women don't. When I see someone heavy working on television I say, 'Oh, God, go girl. You do it.' You know, it shouldn't stop your life.

The Weight Loss Journey Began In 2006

Although the realization came to her early, Torres did not start significantly working on her weight loss until 2008. Then, after playing Connie Solis on CW's Desperate Housewives, she began shedding pounds routinely without losing any of her defining personality traits.

By 2010, Liz Torres' weight loss was so significant that she was barely recognizable on the opening night of the Broadway show It Must Be Him.

Seeing the actress' transformation, some even claimed she might have undergone gastric bypass surgery to aid her weight loss, but solid proof regarding the issue is yet to be unearthed. Similarly, some even claimed that she took weight loss pills, and others pointed out that she took extreme exercise measures.

However, the truth is that she adapted to a low-calorie healthy diet and exercise routines such as skipping ropes and stationary bikes to lose weight. Her diet plans included wheat toast, fish, vegetables, yogurt, butter, and the occasional coffee sips. 

Torres has since been seen on Scandal's sets, Devious Maids, My Mom and The Girl,  Gilmore Girls' Netflix reprise, E. Roosevelt, and Lopez vs. Lopez.