Let’s all stand up and do the slow clap for Kirstie Alley. For years now, we’ve watched the TV star yo-yo diet and struggle with obesity, but now, in the quiet of her own home — without reality shows and endorsements — she’s lost 100 pounds. Simply put, it’s unbelievable.

“I’ve lost 100 pounds,” Kirstie — who’s now wearing a size four — told Entertainment Tonight. “I feel like I’m back in my element. I honestly didn’t even realize what I looked like.”

Most recently, Kirstie competed on season 12 of Dancing with the Stars, where she lost the majority of the weight and finished in second place behind Hines Ward. Throughout the entire show, I was drawn to Kirstie because of her carefree, upbeat attitude — and hilarious sense of humor, especially when it came to her sexuality and looks.

It’s hard to believe Kirstie is 60 years old. Even when she was 100 pounds overweight, she looked — and acted — 20 years younger. What impresses me even more: it’s her attitude toward life that keeps her young, not plastic surgery!

“I haven’t had plastic surgery but here’s the reason: People do plastic surgery to make you look younger,” she said. “I don’t think it makes you look younger. I [think] it can make you look weirder.”

As someone who’s younger and looks up to many older female figures in Hollywood, it’s refreshing to hear this point of view. It seems like most everyone in the public eye who’s “aging gracefully,” has “had to” go under the knife.

Kirstie,  you look fantastic, but more importantly, you finally have your health under control. You’re an inspiration to anyone who has extra weight to lose — be it 100 pounds or those last stubborn 15.

Good luck with maintenance! We’re pulling for you.

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Did you spend all your money on summer clothes, but want a star’s body? Try this simple (and free) park workout!

If you’re like me, the last thing you want is to spend your hard-earned money on a gym membership. Luckily, the weather in the summer is perfect for using the great “outdoors” as your fancy gym. All you need for a workout fit for the stars is 15-45 minutes, some workout clothes and — if you’re ambitious — a jump rope!

In addition to some new cardio moves, this week I also focused on heart rate. You always hear about “target heart rate” zones, but did you realize if you push too hard — or not enough — you’ll not burn the maximum amount of fat? Since I wasn’t on a machine that could help me count my heart rate, I tried out the MIO Energy Pro watch, which gave me my heart rate with just a touch. Check it out here.

Watch the video above and click here to get this week’s workout. Plus, if you’re in the Los Angeles area and want to kick start your own Summer Fitness Challenge, Body Fit: LA is giving away personal training sessions to HollywoodLifers!

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WEEK 1: Click here to find the perfect summer workout for YOU! QUIZ!

WEEK 2: Kirstin Benson’s Summer Fitness Challenge Week 2: 3 Exercises To Get YOU A Kim Kardashian Beach Body!

Last week at the Genesis Super Fruit Cocktail Hour he let HollyBaby in on his top tips! Dr Lindsey stressed the most important factor is “avoiding the bad stuff,” such as preservatives, dyes, chemicals, and high fructose corn syrup. By doing this your baby has a lower chance of mental and development deficiencies, like ADD and hyperactivity.

The doctor also explained the exact diet you need for best results. It includes plenty of fruit smoothies, protein and vegetables with a pinch of starch and carbs.

“Super Foods — the chews, gummies, juices, protein, and plenty of fat in that order,” he recommends.

He also urges moms-to-be to blend acai berry juice with protein, fiber, and bananas to make a perfect breakfast, adding “whatever you need to make it taste good.”

Lunch includes a “rainbow salad, plenty of bright colors” plus a “good, lean protein” of your choice. For dinner you can chose a starch or protein with a side of steamed vegetables. Dr. Duncan also has advise for controlling your cravings, providing healthy alternatives to sugar and salt.

“If the craving is salt, you use sea salt,” he explained, “If you’re craving a sweet, then you use fruits and juices.”

That sounds like great advice to us!

Share your pregnancy diet with us HollyMoms! How do you stay healthy?

–Amber Belus, Reporting By Katrina Mitzeliotis

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It’s not too late to get that beach body you’ve wanted for summer! Join me in my beach workout!

Getting into a workout groove is one of the toughest things in the world. It’s easy to get motivated for a day, or even a week, but maintaining that drive for any longer is no simple feat! If you’re as daunted as I’ve been about where to even start, just try doing these three simple exercises — and maybe even adding in a 30 minute walk or jog — three times a week. The best part? You don’t need any equipment or space — and it doesn’t take longer than 15 minutes!

I’ve partnered with Body Fit: LA to do a 45 day Summer Fitness Challenge and so far, so good. After discovering my perfect fitness routine during week one, I started squeezing in these three activities a few times a week and cutting down my summertime alcohol consumption — and I’ve already lost a few pounds!

Watch the video above and click here to get this week’s workout. Plus, if you’re in the Los Angeles area and want to kick start your own Summer Fitness Challenge, Body Fit: LA is giving away personal training sessions to HollywoodLifers!

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Email me! | Follow me on | Become a fan

WEEK 1: Click here to find the perfect summer workout for YOU! QUIZ!

And Paris, who’s starring in the Oxygen reality TV show “The World According To Paris” (Wednesdays, 10 p.m./9 CT), admits it wasn’t easy being scrutinized by the blogosphere about her weight, which reached 125 pounds in December. “Some blogs were making fun of my weight, and you’ll see on the show me going through that,” Paris tells HollywoodLife.com. “I started working out and trying to lose weight.”

Paris, who’s juggling her show with her various other business ventures (she had a photo shoot for her shoe collection in L.A. on Monday, for example), says she’s loving her fab physique. “I’m really happy,” she says. “I’ve been working out and eating really healthy. I’m not drinking any soda; I’m drinking lots of water.  No fast food, but a lot of organic food.”

Paris’ biggest void in her diet? “No fried food,” she says. “I cut out McDonald’s french fries! But I’ve lost over ten pounds in about two to three months.”

And her weight loss has been a family effort: “I have a trainer and we do weight training and cardio but I’ll also walk up Doheny [Drive] with my sister [Nicky], and I’ll go horseback riding.”

So will Paris spend the summer showing off her new body? Well, only if it meshes with her busy work schedule, which includes filming her new show: “I’ll be working a lot this summer. Like I’ll work on finishing my album. I’ll also go to Malibu, Europe, London, Ibiza and Italy.”

And Paris has no qualms showing viewers her struggle to lose those few extra pounds: “I love doing reality,” Paris says. “I’ve been doing it for so long, and I really love to show people a peek into my world and see how I really am around my family and friends, to really have my fans get to know me.”

— David Caplan

Expectant moms have been told for generations they need to ‘eat for two’ — but experts insist it’s a myth that’s saddling women with extra pounds they may never shake off.

The truth is women need NO extra calories in the first two trimesters of their pregnancy and in the final weeks an extra cereal bar a day is enough to nourish their unborn babies.

Experts in the UK have found the myth about ‘eating for two’ is so widespread pregnant women are getting fatter than ever — putting their well-being and the health of their babies at risk.

Women who weigh a healthy amount only need to gain 25 to 35 pounds throughout the entire nine month pregnancy. Underweight women need to gain a little more, and overweight moms-to-be a little less.

Carrying extra weight while you’re carrying a baby increases the risk of diabetes, and other pregnancy conditions like pre-eclampsia.

And there are more lasting effects — women who gain too much pregnancy weight are three-times more likely to be obese 16 years later!

The findings are the result of a study carried out at Bristol University of more than 3,000 women in the west of England.

What do you think HollyMoms? Did you eat for two? Share your thoughts below!

– Ian Garland

Get more:

1. A New Study Shows That Babies As Young As 9 Months Were Found To Be Obese
2. Parents of ‘Pudgy’ Babies Are Putting Their Kids On A Diet!
3. A 4-Year-Old Boy Has A Phobia About Food And Hasn’t Eaten In Four Years! How Sad!

The Oscar winner dropped the pounds after giving birth to baby Leo in January by slipping on her ballet shoes and hitting the dance floor.

Penelope Cruz was desperate to get her curves back after becoming a mom, but the idea of spending hours in the gym was a BIG turn-off. How did you lose the babyweight, HollyMoms?

“I love ballet and it’s a little boring for me to go to the gym because I’m used to the dancing discipline,” Penelope, 37, tells the Daily Mirror, “It’s really hard but much more fun.”

The Spanish star also credits her healthy Mediterranean diet, adding, “I love Spanish food. My diet is the Mediterranean diet, which is good food. I eat well, but I try to eat healthy.”

There’s even room for a little junk food treat — she LOVES burger chain In-N-Out: “I do it, like, once a week or once every two weeks. It’s my little treat for myself. I love the Double-Double with fries.”

Whatever she did – it clearly worked! Penelope looks fab just weeks after giving birth to her first baby with husband Javier Bardem.

Would you try the dancing diet?

– Ian Garland

Get more:

1. Johnny Depp Says Penelope Cruz Is An Amazing Mommy! Aww, How Sweet!
2. New Mom Ali Larter Is A Gym Glamazon — She Lost So Much Baby Weight!
3. Penelope Cruz, You Look Incredible! We Can’t Believe You Just Gave Birth!

Doctors claim fat moms-to-be are making their unborn babies overweight and unhealthy.

In a new medical trial, pregnant women who are particularly obese will be given a weight loss drug to slim down their babies-to-be. Whoa. Is this too drastic?

“It’s about trying to improve outcomes in pregnancy for women who are overweight,’ explains Dr. Andrew Weeks, who’s leading the trial.

The program is being rolled out in hospitals across the UK, and will involve 400 women over the next three years.

The moms-to-be will be given diabetes drug Metformin to reduce the levels of blood sugar passed onto their babies in the womb.

Dr. Weeks hopes the trial will cut down pregnancy complications, such as pre-eclampsia, which are common with obese women and overweight babies.

Does this seem too extreme HollyMoms? It’s certainly upset some weight loss groups.

Alison Wetton, CEO of All About Weight, says, “The fact that the widely-used diabetes pill, Metformin, is being trialed to prevent obese babies being born to overweight mothers is disturbing to me, and I am sure most other women as well.”

Share your views with us below!

– Ian Garland

Get more:

1. A New Study Shows That Babies As Young As 9 Months Were Found To Be Obese
2. Parents of ‘Pudgy’ Babies Are Putting Their Kids On A Diet!
3. A 4-Year-Old Boy Has A Phobia About Food And Hasn’t Eaten In Four Years! How Sad!