Ricki Lake’s Weight Loss UpdateRicki Lake once tipped the scale at 260 pounds. Today, she’s less than half that size. Lake has maintained her 123-pound shape for the past six months by exercising and following an eating program. Here is an update on the Ricki Lake’s weight loss effort.
How happy are you with your size? This is as good as I get. I can’t be any smaller. I work out, I eat well; I’m really proud. I think I’ve reached a balance that’s working now. Losing weight this time around was the easiest for me ever.
When did you start losing weight? February 2. It was a conscious decision to get some attention for my documentary [The Business of Being Born] that got into the Tribeca Film Festival. I weighed 160. I had been staying out of the limelight. I looked at the calendar, I had nine weeks, and I signed up for this food plan and started working out. I wanted to reinvent myself.
How heavy have you been? My heaviest was 260 pounds [in 1991]. I was a size 24. That’s when I first started losing weight. I lost about 100 pounds. I had gotten down to 135 before, and then this time around, I lost more. I’m now a size 2 or 4.
What do you do for fitness? I take Richard Simmons’ “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” exercise class. It’s a great workout and everyone’s really big and they move and dance. I go with my friends, who are all into losing weight and being fit.
What’s your best tip for maintaining weight loss? I think being consistent is the key. Everybody knows what they should and should not be putting in their body if they’re trying to lose weight. Every diet works if you stick to that diet. South Beach or Weight Watchers or Atkins or Jenny Craig – I’ve been on all of them, pretty much.
Have you fallen off the diet wagon recently? Yeah. I went to Italy for two weeks and went off my food plan, so I was shocked when I came back and I was the same weight. I had pizza every day and wine just about every night. Exercise, even when you screw up the food, can keep you on track.
Why did you originally gain weight as a young girl? I think it has to do with the fact that I was molested as a child. I think it does one of two things: It either causes you to be promiscuous as a young child or it makes you want to completely stay away from that, and that’s what I did. I was not sexually active until later in life. I think I wanted to be less attractive to men. I didn’t want to be a target.
Any other factors? I got lazy. I went to a performing school that didn’t have an exercise program. I ate lots of junk. I was 18 and chubby and everyone thought I was cute, so in my head I thought, I’m this cute, fat girl! I didn’t think about what I was eating and how I wasn’t exercising. I was going to parties, I was popular and famous, and I would eat the burger and the shake. Before I knew it, three years went by and I gained 60 pounds.
How did you feel then? I hit rock bottom. I was in an unhealthy relationship, I couldn’t get a job, I was broke, I was living in a pool house, I couldn’t catch my breath walking up stairs. That’s when I knew I had to do something. I lost the bulk of that weight and got my talk show.
What’s the best part about being thin? I’m spending a lot of money on a new wardrobe. I recently hired a stylist because I didn’t know what looked good on my body. The other night, I wore this unbelievable Yves St. Laurent halter dress. I never thought I could wear something like that. I’m not going to get fat [again] and not fit into those clothes! [via]