Oprah mad at herself for ballooning weight

Oprah Winfrey, chairman of Harpo Inc. and host of ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', poses as she arrives for a breakfast honoring women in Beverly Hills, California December 5, 2008.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Talk show host Oprah Winfrey says she is mad at herself, and embarrassed, for allowing her weight to balloon to 200 pounds.

Winfrey, who for years has talked on her popular television show about her struggle with weight problems, is shown juxtaposed next to an image of her thinner past self on the January issue of O, The Oprah Magazine.

The cover line of the magazine reads, "How did I let this happen again?"

"I'm mad at myself," Winfrey says in the accompanying article, released on Tuesday. "I'm embarrassed. I can't believe that after all these years, I'm still talking about my weight."

In the article, Winfrey describes how her thyroid problem contributed to her weight, which went from 160 pounds a couple of years ago to 200 pounds today.

"I had just about given up on myself last year," she said.

But Winfrey also points out that many of her fans suffer with recurring weight problems, and she plans to use that as a springboard for a week of programming on her television show, the www.Oprah.com Web site and her satellite radio show.

It will be called "Oprah's Best Life Week," and will come at a time when many people make resolutions for the new year.

It starts on Jan. 5 on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" with a program dedicated to weight issues. In the following days, she will delve into health, spirituality, personal finances and relationships. Winfrey said she plans to talk about how to get back on track to lose weight in 2009.

The Hollywood Reporter last week named Winfrey the most powerful woman in the entertainment industry. She has been credited by some for helping Democrat Barack Obama win the November U.S. presidential election after she endorsed him and campaigned with him.

The O magazine with Winfrey talking about her weight problems hits newsstands on Dec. 16.