Lifestyle

'I'M STILL FIGHTING'

‘Mormon Wives’ Star Posts Emotional Update on Struggle With GLP-1 Abuse

“For the past two years, I’ve been struggling silently.”

Roosa RahkonenEditorial Intern, The Looker

PublishedMar 17, 2026, 6:18 PM EDT

UpdatedMar 17, 2026, 6:18 PM EDT

Updated Mar 17, 2026, 6:18 PM EDTPublished Mar 17, 2026, 6:18 PM EDT

One of the stars of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives shared an emotional update about her recovery journey, less than a week after she admitted to “abusing” weight-loss drugs.

“For the past two years, I’ve been struggling silently with an eating disorder I believed I had left behind in high school,” Layla Taylor, 25, wrote in the caption of an Instagram post on Sunday.

'IT'S ADDICTING'

‘Mormon Wives’ Star Shares Dark Details of GLP-1 Abuse

Roosa Rahkonen

“Far before I touched [GLP-1s,] I’ve had my struggles,” she continued.

Taylor spoke about her misuse of GLP-1 weight-loss medication in the finale episode of the fourth season of Hulu’s hit series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

In the show, the social media influencer and model said she weighed 99 pounds and stood approximately 5-foot-9. The weight is well below the range considered “healthy” for her height by the National Institutes of Health. (According to the NIH, a 5-foot-9 person should weigh approximately 128 to 162 pounds.)

Despite her size, she revealed that she had taken weight-loss drugs for a year—and that getting off of them was difficult.

“It’s been lonely and exhausting, fighting a battle in my own brain while trying to show up like everything is okay and receive comments daily on my body,” she wrote on Instagram.

“Recovery has been messy and far from linear. Some days feel strong, and others feel really heavy,” Taylor wrote, confirming that she is “still in treatment” and no longer uses the weight-loss drugs.

“I’m still learning how to choose self-love over self-criticism. Even this video seeing my body side-by-side is triggering; But I’m still fighting—not just for me, but because my boys deserve a healthy, present mom,” Taylor wrote.

Taylor has two children with her ex-husband, Clayton Wessel. The couple welcomed their first son, Oliver, in 2021 and their second, Maxwell, in 2022. Taylor and Wessel separated in 2023 and finalized their divorce two years later.

“So grateful for those in my life that helped me through that low time,” Taylor continued, adding, “Thank you for the kindness, grace, and support. It means more than you know.” She signed the post with a white heart emoji.

In the comments, many people thanked Taylor for sharing her story, calling it “one of the most important moments of the season.”

“I never see [eating disorders] spoken about in media anymore, and after this season as someone in recovery, I just wanted to let you know that there are so many people that see and understand you. We love you,” one person wrote.

People also thanked her for spreading awareness of the possibly addictive nature of weight loss medicine.

“I never knew GLP1’s could be addicting. You’re the first person I’ve ever heard talk about this. So thank you for educating us,” one person wrote.

Many fans were also angry at the medical professional who prescribed weight loss medication to Taylor.

“Honestly, the doctor that wrote you the script should be held accountable. That’s not okay,” one person wrote, and another added, “They need to go to jail or be sued.”

“Shame on the doctor who prescribed you the meds. We are rooting for you, Layla,” one of the top comments read.

In the show, Taylor told her castmates she was experiencing pain due to her weight loss.

“My body hurts every night when I go to bed,” she said, continuing, “When I lay down, if my knees are touching each other, it hurts because I don’t have any fat on my body to cushion it. And I know that it’s going too far, and I’m taking it too far, but I, like, can’t stop.”

Taylor, who has previously spoken about the struggles of growing up as a Black woman in a predominantly white culture, said her living environment had an effect on her beauty choices.

“People are obsessed with how they look. It’s a very negative part of the Utah culture,” she said on the show, adding, “I can’t even count on both hands how many people I know abuse GLP-1s, like myself. And it’s a real problem for sure.”

If you or a loved one is struggling with disordered eating, please reach out to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at nationaleatingdisorders.org.

Roosa RahkonenEditorial Intern, The Looker

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