Alley: "I've Let Everyone Down"

"The Early Show" Offers Tips On Keeping Weight Off

(CBS)  Kirstie Alley was the spokesperson for Jenny Craig for three years, giving hope to people everywhere that they, too, could drop the weight -- just as she did.

Alley, 58, lost 75 pounds on the commercial weight loss plan, famously going from flab to fab.

She even appeared on "Oprah" in a bikini in 2006, showing off her slimmer shape.

But now, it looks as if Alley's long personal struggle to stay thin has a painful new chapter: losing the battle to keep the weight off.

The "Cheers" star has regained 85 pounds, according to the "Oprah" Web site, and is opening up again on Thursday's "Oprah," discussing how and why it happened.

"I've let everyone down," Alley says in the "Oprah" interview.

But this doesn't happen to just celebrities like Alley -- packing the pounds back on is a common outcome for many people.

Dr. Jennifer Ashton, Early Show medical correspondent, offered some tips on Thursday for people who see themselves heading back where they started.

"You want to make sure that there's not a medical cause for weight gain; things like medications and thyroid and hormonal problems can definitely cause it," Ashton said. " ...Things like depression can be there too, so you want to see a doctor if you think you've put on a lot of weight in a short period of time or if you're not eating more to account for that increase in weight."

Ashton told Early Show co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez that if a medical condition isn't the cause of the weight gain, you should "surprise your metabolism."

"Our bodies get used to a steady state and plateau, and that's when we get lulled into this false sense of security," Ashton said. "So if you see the weight coming on again, you want to revert back to the things that work."

Ashton added that you should limit your portion size at meals, and that weight loss should be about striving for health -- not a size or a number.

[FutureSonLiam]

There is part of me that feels badly for Kirstie Alley and a part of me that doesn't. She had something great going for awhile - she was healthy, she looked great, and then she let it all slip again...after all that work. I know obesity is essentially, if not, a disease. It's much more mental than physical which is why losing weight isn't the only part to overcome.

But I just feel like - celebrities especially have so much access to private cooks, trainers, etc etc there comes a point when there is no excuse for gaining that much weight back.

[SabrinaBogan]

Kirstie has nothing to be ashamed of. Sure she gained the weight back, but it is to be expected considering the pressure Jenny Craig put on her by hiring a woman who only had to lose 40 pounds.

Those of you who have never had a weight problem would not understand. You have opinions but just wait until you have trouble losing weight before you tell someone how easy it is to lose weight.

Beauty is found within and once Kirstie finds her inner beauty it will be seen. Never give up. Surround yourself with love and support and ignore those who think they are better, their time will come and when it does their eyes will be wide open.

Kirstie may think she let everyone down but she did not, she has shown us that regardless of what people do or say, there will always be someone waiting for us to fail. Jenny Craig cancelled her contract probably because Kirstie's weight loss was not fast enough to endorse their products. Just reinforces my determination to lose weight through Weight Watchers, SparkPeople or just by watching what I eat.

Brush it off and start over. You know you can succeed, it will just take time. My best wishes to Kirstie for great success in the future.

[nirak2-2009]

Go away Kristie, I am sick and tired of you and Oprahs weight loss and gains.

[jbreeden1]

You have not let anyone down, except possibly yourself. Sharing your struggles just helps the rest of us in this on-going battle know that we are all in it together. You are beautiful, inside and out, regardless of your size du'jour!. I kept off 70 lbs for 10 years, then regained it starting slowly with lots of stress from selling a house, building another one etc. I made the mistake of going off my "chronic, self-regulated Weight Watchers program" to take off the few lbs I had gained, use South BEach and felt so very deprived. Then I fell and couldn't move much for about six months, while selling my new house to move out of town and retire. So in all I gained back about 50 lbs. I am now attending weight watchers, have lost 25 lbs and just last week bought regular XL clothes instead of Women's sizes. I have learned how to take a meal or two off every month and enjoy the control. The meetings at Weight Watchers are truly helpful too. I have some physical problems that prevent much exercise. I also was on anti-depressants for many years, getting off those has helped me lose much more quickly, so check on any meds you may be taking. Most importantly, give yourself a break, love yourself, forgive yourself, accept yourself, you won't really be able to lose successfully unless you can do these things first. Good Luck.

[slantedview]

Thin or fat, at 58 she's still a damn good looking woman. Real beauty doesn't have a lot to do with weight, it has to do with character.

She's already proven she can lose weight if she wants to, but you ugly people saying mean things are still going to be ugly tomorrow. Go pick on somebody else. You're jealous of her looks.

[Dgunner]

Learn and research the ingredients and read the labels. Learn what they do to the human body and why you shouldnt eat them. L:earn to eat only when you are hungry and not by a schedule. You may have to make lifestyle changes to accomadate yours bodies time to eat. Eating on fixed schedule and living by the scedules of the people in your enviroment will make you look like the people in your enviroment. Just look around and see if I am not right. I learned that once you learn to read a label and recognize what is in the product and what to avoid. The only foods left are the ones you shaould have been eating all a long. I lost 45 pounds in three months with minimal exercise by applying this metod.

[rsmik]

She looks like she ate Jenny Craig and Valerie Bertinelli.

[elrodluther]

Kirstie Alley is Goddess and I would kiss her butt anytime!

[elrodluther]

Kirstie Alley is Goddess and I would kiss her butt anytime!

[tabytaby]

Kirstie, You are a terrific actress. I like how you get so involved in a part that I forget that it's you acting. It's unfortunate that you live in a city that the hype is to be a small size. It's everywhere....magazines, on TV, people walking down the street.... I've lived in L.A. I know. It would be great if you could find a place in your mind that allows you to take much attention off your weight and find other things that that give you great satisfaction. The weight could come off by it's self if you are so involved in other things that allow only a small amount of attention left over to worry about weight. tabytaby

[saturn05]

Heavier or not, Kirstie has more class than many of you mean people. Do you say the same thing about many of the male superstars who have packed on the pounds and look like bloated pigs???? Or is just woment that can't gain weight and still be successful?

[Slrman]

It's the same old story. Diets do not work! The Jenny Craig, Atkins, and all the other "Diet Gurus" are simply scam artists. They know better than anyone that diets will not work and those that go on them often end up heavier than they started. After undergoing the physical stress of weight loss and gain.

The only thing that works is training yourself to eat less and take food out of the reward category. There's a great book available, "Fit for Free Forever" that proves this and shows how it's done, easily and permanently.

[trillion1]

She found something she was good at because she stunk at acting.

[czechtraveler]

man what happened to Kirstie Alley......? Pork city

[lyndar2]

This is an all too familiar lifetime struggle. Quit worrying about letting others down and just take care of yourself. We love you for who you are and not numbers on the scale!

[inventagod]

Kirstie - come on over to my house, anytime!
You are still HOT, grrl!

Skrew these shallow, BS critics!
You just learned what many knew - diets are tough on a person...
yo-yo!