Kirstie Alley covers May's Ladies' Home Journal. At 230 pounds (her weight when she last stepped on the scale at the time of the interview) she was "disgusted" with herself. In 2006, Kirstie appeared on Oprah in a bikini weighing 143 pounds after a 75-pound drop. Now she is trying to slim down again with the help of Scientology and her new reality show, hoping to hit 135 by the time the show wraps at the end of spring. Here are some excerpts from the interview.
On denial and weight gain:
"I was shocked because I looked, you know, circus fat. When we get fat, we fool ourselves with every kind of lie imaginable. By 2008 my weight started creeping up and I said, 'Oh, I still look good at 150. I still look good at 155. I still look okay at 165. Some of my clothes still fit at 175.' And nobody was saying, 'You're fat.' I was like a bank robber who was getting away with it. Next thing I know I'm 190, 200, 210 -- and meanwhile I'm only looking at myself in the mirror from the neck up."
On the joys of getting fat:
"On one hand, it was the greatest thing in the world getting fat. Every meal out was an event. Or we'd go to Italy and we'd have pasta, truffles, and dessert and then plan the next incredible meal. It was a happy-go-lucky time. I never had so much fun."
On pressure to be skinny when she was younger:
"I remember the first time I dieted as an actress. I was 30 and weighed 124 pounds. I thought, if I could get under 120, I could be more successful. And fortunately or unfortunately, as soon as I got under 120, I got my first movie" -- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. That milestone triggered a new way of thinking: "Being thin does make a difference, I told myself. In my head I got that role because I was 114 pounds, not because I was a good actress or looked like a Vulcan."
On Scientology and weight loss:
"Scientology helps you lose your insanities. One of the keys is they say, 'You're in charge of your life, buster. You're responsible for any condition you're in.' If I look at it that way, it helps. I've been irresponsible many, many, many times and that has resulted in my being fat. They hold you accountable to living a life without making excuses for yourself."