‘RHOA’s NeNe Leakes Reveals She’s Lost 12 Lbs. & Hopes To Shed More: How She Plans To Reach Her Goal

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There may be a lot of drama in the ATL, but there will be a lot less of NeNe Leakes as she exclusively opened up about her new, slimmer figure!

NeNe Leakes, 51, has never been one to shy away from calling it like it is and speaking her truth, but fans will be seeing less of her on the small screen when The Real Housewives Of Atlanta returns to Bravo sometime this fall. Don’t worry though, it’s not what you think, as NeNe has been working hard to trim down her waistline and has already dropped a whopping 12 pounds and one dress size! “I really want to lose 20 pounds,” the actress and reality star told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY. “I’m very tall. I’m almost 5’11 and I can carry my weight a lot different than somebody who’s shorter than me, so me losing 12 pounds makes me feel like I’ve lost like, 5.”

So just how has NeNe –  who credits this change to husband Gregg Leakes, 64, as he’s battled and now beaten colon cancer – slimmed down while staying so incredibly busy? “We’ve really been trying to do better and eat better and eliminate the junk,” the Swagg Boutique owner said. “I’m not doing anything crazy like doing the elliptical or riding the bike or running. I started being a pescatarian and he was plant-based, so I started there. It did help me and I felt different. I lost a couple of pounds. I’m not a big eater. But what I started to do, was just have small portions. I feel like I eat about four times a day – four, sometimes five – just nibbling on stuff, and I feel really satisfied.”

Though NeNe has cut down on her food intake, she’s got a few tricks up her sleeve when she has to deal with those junk food cravings! “I love to snack on stuff because I like chips,” NeNe admitted. “So If I’d want it so bad, I could eat a little bit and then I’d throw it in the trash can. I always say to myself, ‘I’m not going through the trash can to get it out and eat it,’ so I’d bite it and then I’d throw it in the trash. So I could just satisfy myself a little bit.”

Though NeNe seems totally comfortable in her own skin at any size, her goal is to hit a certain dress size by year’s end, just in time for the holidays. “I’ve always been the girl who’s been a size 10, and then when I got bigger I was a 12 — Whatever,” NeNe said. “I don’t ever remember being an 8. I would love to be an 8. Some people are like, ‘Oh, you’re too tall to be an 8!’ My birthday is December 13th. Every year around my birthday, I always want to be something! I want to be thin or smaller.” She’s got four months to go and she’s already on her way!