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Sam Asghari dropped several dozen pounds following his split from Britney Spears ... and while lots of folks in Hollywood are using meds to shed weight, Sam's not hopping on that trend.

We got Britney's ex leaving Equinox gym, and our photog asked him about his dramatic weight loss and his secret to losing 35 to 40 pounds.

Sam says his body transformation is NOT the result of Ozempic ... a prescription diabetes medication that's becoming widely popular among celebs and average folks as a diet drug.

Even Oprah recently admitted she's using meds to lose and maintain weight, and she refuses to be shamed about it.

But, Sam says he's been putting in work at the gym and watching what he eats -- telling us fitness often comes down to diet.

Sam's always been fit, but now he looks more toned and cut than ever and he says being in shape's always been a priority for him ... which is evident to anyone with eyes.

He's also got some tips for anyone looking to lose a few pounds -- in his eyes you don't have to resort to meds as long as you keep your hands out of the cookie jar.

"Botched" star Dr. Terry Dubrow is over the moon about Oprah opening up about using weight-loss medication ... 'cause, in his eyes, it's a move that could save lives.

Dr. Dubrow joined us Thursday on "TMZ Live," singing Oprah's praises for admitting she's used meds as part of her weight loss journey ... and telling us the trend of shaming folks for using medication like Ozempic needs to stop.

He says celebs have been hesitant to be as honest as Oprah was ... often attributing their weight loss to working out or hormones, but in the doc's eyes, it's time they felt comfortable to speak candidly.

Dr. Dubrow thinks a really popular celeb, like O, opening up the discussion could start a trend -- or at least a discussion -- that leads to the general public warming to the use of these meds to combat obesity.

As he points out, we wouldn't shame people who take insulin for diabetes ... so doing so for someone who needs it to lose weight is equally ridiculous.

As we reported, Oprah lost 40 lbs this year and told PEOPLE the medicine she was prescribed was a healthier alternative for her -- this after she realized her struggles with weight loss were less about willpower and more about the brain.

Oprah Winfrey is overcoming decades of shame attached to her body, and she's admitting taking weight-loss medication ... even though she previously said she'd never do that to slim down.

After shedding 40 lbs this year, the billionaire TV mogul is done with cruel and insensitive conversations about her appearance -- gushing that pharmaceutical assistance has changed her relationship with her figure.

Oprah tells PEOPLE a doctor prescribed the meds to her following her "Life You Want" series' "The State Of Weight" taping back in July, where she realized she wasn't to blame for being overweight ... noting it was more about the brain than willpower.

With a new mindset, Oprah says weight-loss meds are a healthier alternative for her rather than yo-yo-ing, and she takes the medically-approved drug as, and when, needed.

Case in point, she took them just before Thanksgiving cause she knew she had "two weeks of solid eating" ... and, as a result, says she only gained half a pound rather than eight.

This comes in stark contrast to Oprah labeling weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro an "easy way out" earlier this year during a chat with WeightWatchers CEO Sima Sistani.

"Real Housewives of Orange County" star Heather Dubrow is defending celebs who use diabetes meds to slim down ... and she's predicting Ozempic will end up a lot like Botox.

We got Heather in New York City and our photog asked her about Bravo star Jeff Lewis poking fun at 'RHOBH' star Kyle Richards as a "lesbian on Ozempic."

Heather feels like Jeff crossed a line by joking about someone's meds ... ripping him for joining a growing trend she's labeling as "Ozempic shaming."

The way Heather sees it ... Ozempic should be treated just like medications for heart conditions and cholesterol ... basically, it's nobody's beeswax what medications one may or may nor be taking.

The diabetes drug is popular in Hollywood as a weight-loss solution ... and it's becoming a lightning rod of sorts, drawing warnings from folks like Jillian Michaels and Heather's own husband, "Botched" star Dr. Terry Dubrow.

Jeff Lewis wants to let everyone know he was just havin' some fun when he called his pal Kyle Richards a "lesbian on Ozempic" ... unclear if she's realized that though, because she's leaving his messages on read!

We got Jeff at the Rockefeller Center in NYC Wednesday after he caused some buzz on Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live" with the comment.

Jeff makes it clear, he was only joking, and tells us he wanted to poke fun at the rumors about Kyle and country singer Morgan Wade dating -- something Kyle's denied quite a bit.

Despite it obviously being a goof, Jeff fills us in on some potentially troubled waters -- he shot her a text and she still hasn't responded. 👀

As we reported, Jeff drew some big laughs when he cracked wise about his friend ... Heather McDonald also jumped in, saying being gay is a side effect of the medication.

Jeff Lewis called Kyle Richards a "lesbian on Ozempic," and while he was certainly joking ... it's a toss-up as to whether the 'Housewives' star herself is laughing.

The famous interior designer -- known for appearing on Bravo's "Flipping Out" -- made the flippant comment on Andy Cohen's show "Watch What Happens Live" ... where they were running a silly segment called 'Jeff, What's Your Issue?' and flashing through faces of people.

Eventually, they landed on Kyle ... and Jeff made the crack, feigning outrage that she didn't tell him she was into women and that she was taking the diabetes weight-loss medication. You could tell it still had an impact though ... 'cause Andy was left blushing on the spot.

Heather McDonald was also on set for this moment, and she ran with the gag ... joking that one of Ozempic's side effects is that it makes people gay. Jeff, who's gay, kept going with it, and the whole thing was dealt with in a light-hearted manner, all told.

Of course ... Jeff's zing comes on the heels of recent speculation Kyle might be dating female country singer Morgan Wade ... this after spending a ton of time with her on the road, and right around the time she separated from her husband, Mauricio Umansky, no less.

Since then, we've learned that's not the case ... and that the reason Kyle's been hanging out with Morgan so much is because of a documentary she's producing about the artist's life.

Still, people have had their opinions about Kyle and Morgan regardless ... something they're well aware of, and which they leaned into in MW's latest music video -- poking fun at all the rumors.

We'll see how Jeff's remarks land with Kyle, who hasn't responded. Not yet.

Dr. Terry Dubrow says weight loss surgery ultimately turned out to be a fatal decision for Lisa Marie Presley ... offering a warning to everyone in Hollywood, and beyond.

The "Botched" surgeon joined us on "TMZ Live" and explained how bariatric surgery eventually spelled doom for Elvis Presley's only child.

The good doc says Lisa Marie's weight loss procedure resulted in tons of scar tissue that ultimately blocked her small intestine -- which as we first reported, is her official cause of death.

Although there's no evidence LMP was taking Ozempic, Dr. Dubrow warns of issues with sudden weight loss.

And, get this ... Terry says Lisa Marie's digestive system was in such bad shape before she died, over 30 feet of her small intestine was already dead before she was rushed to a hospital.

Terry tells us Lisa Marie's health issues are widespread in America ... he says tons of folks are having weight loss surgeries, and many others are using Ozempic to manage their weight, a practice he says is prevalent in Hollywood.

Kyle Richards is setting the record straight about how she obtained her toned body ... saying she's never used the diabetes drug Ozempic, instead, she's putting the work in herself.

The "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star says she's never even tried the drug, when it comes to her astounding weight loss results ... claiming, she couldn't bring herself to do it if she wanted.

She told Page 6, “I’m not on any weight loss drug. If you know me, you know I have terrible anxiety so that would scare me to death. I have never, ever ever taken it.”

ICYMI, Kyle has been posting away and showing off her toned body on social media the last few months ... prompting fans to speculate she might have taken the drug, to achieve her slim body -- just as some other celebs and 'Bravo' stars have admitted to doing.

On the other hand, Kyle has voiced her frustration with these rumors, maintaining she's done it all herself by changing her lifestyle and habits ... and now we have a better idea of how she got started.

Kyle says her new bod is homemade, thanks to grueling workouts with her personal trainer Cory Gregory, whom she met through singer Morgan Wade.

BTW, some of the dietary changes include cutting out alcohol, sugar, pizza and carbs.

The use of Ozempic for weight loss has become widely popular across the U.S. and has even caused shortages of the drug for those who have Type 2 diabetes ... despite some experts warning against it.

Jillian Michaels is not a fan of the latest weight loss trend -- celebs and millions of non-celebs using diabetes meds to slim down -- and she says actual data proves it's just not worth the risk.

The fitness guru joined "TMZ Live" Wednesday and shared concerns about the diabetes drug Semaglutide -- sold as brands like Wegovy and Ozempic -- which got FDA approval in 2021 for "chronic weight management" in adults with weight-related health conditions.

Jillian tells us the injectable drug has significant side effects ranging from typical to severe ... including thyroid cancer, kidney issues and pancreatitis.

Set aside, for just a moment, the fact the diet craze  -- which folks like Chelsea Handler, Elon Musk and Michael Rubin have copped to joining -- is making it harder for diabetes patients to fill potentially lifesaving prescriptions.

But, JM says the drugs don't actually help folks achieve significant weight loss goals. She adds, the real kicker is one study shows some users regained nearly 70% of the weight they'd lost by taking the drug.

Ultimately, Jillian says you can reach achieve much more effective, long-lasting weight loss by getting active and making better dietary choices.