Rebecca Romijn: Losing 60 pounds was “the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life”

Rebecca Romijn covers the March issue of Fitness magazine to discuss losing the baby weight after giving birth to twin babies (Dolly and Charlie) with husband Jerry O’Connell … in December 2008? That sort of seems like an untimely declaration coming from a celebrity, but okay. We’ll go with it because I can appreciate that it took a few years to finally shed all 60 pounds that she gained during pregnancy. Oh wait, Rebecca is currently promoting her role in Tyler Perry’s upcoming Good Deeds movie, so I guess that scoring this cover is part of that push. Regardless, Rebecca is looking like her old swimsuit model self in this photoshoot, and here are some interview excerpts:

On Losing 60 Pounds: “Losing that weight was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I had to change the way I worked out, the way I ate — everything. Everything I did before I got pregnant — like Pilates, which I had done for about 14 years — didn’t work anymore. I had to find a completely different way to challenge my body. A friend suggested I try Bikram yoga. At first the idea of doing a 90-minute workout in a 105-degree room sounded like torture. But the sweating is exactly what I became addicted to. My body changed dramatically almost immediately. Within three classes I noticed less belly fat. My knees and legs are stronger than ever now; my arms have definition for the first time in my life; and my posture is much, much better. I also feel completely energized from all of the deep breathing. I leave class relieved of any anxiety I went in with, and the sweating and detoxifying make my skin feel great. I can’t recommend it enough.”

On Leaving Her Twins: “That’s been a huge challenge since I became a mom. Mother’s guilt is no joke! I feel it every time I leave them to go exercise. Now that the girls are in preschool, it’s easier. I go as soon as I drop them off at school. As a mom it’s very important to take care of yourself physically and mentally. You’re no good to anyone unless you do. There are days when I rush out to a yoga class just as I’m starting to feel like I might be losing my mind.”

On Her Diet: After eating more throughout my pregnancy and while I was nursing for eight months, I forgot how much I was supposed to eat to keep my weight in check. Having a little bit of chocolate after dinner was turning into too much chocolate every night after dinner — or too much wine or too many pancakes. So I went on a major diet about eight months ago. I cut out starch, dairy, fat, red meat, alcohol, and sugar. Just being on a diet was weird for me. I had never been on one in my life, and suddenly I was counting calories and measuring my food. Cutting out sugar was definitely the hardest. The first week I thought I was going to die. The cravings were bad. But after that, it was easy.”

On Her Husband: “Every meal with Jerry [O’Connell] includes wine and dessert, which I love. Before we had kids, I gained weight from eating like that. But I was happy and in love, and my clothes still fit. Jerry liked how I looked. He’s very much a ‘there’s more to hold on to’ kind of guy.”

[From Fitness Magazine]

I think most of us who’ve dealt with baby weight can sympathize (or at least emphathize) with Rebecca’s struggle and also hand it to actresses like Jenna Fischer for “standing in solidarity” with women who aren’t a size 2 after giving birth. It’s funny how our Western priorities cause women to often consider losing weight to be, like, the hardest thing ever, but most of us feel that way, don’t we? By the way, Rebecca looks smashing (albeit highly airbrushed) in this photo spread.

Photos courtesy of Fitness

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37 Responses to “Rebecca Romijn: Losing 60 pounds was “the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life””

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  1. Bite me says:

    Of course it was … Love the sweater

  2. debbie says:

    thank goodness she pulled through! and here i was thinking that surviving breast cancer is the hardest thing i’ve ever done in my life. i stand corrected.

  3. brin says:

    She looks fantastic!

  4. laylajanelovesgossip says:

    Rolling my eyes…I’m getting more hateful with age. You guys pray for me…Happy Valentines Day!!!

  5. Franny says:

    She looks tiny! I mean, she is obviously athletic but a skinny curvy. I bet its exhausting trying to be that thin though.

  6. bea says:

    I can’t remember ever seeing a pic of her looking like she was 60 lbs overweight…

    She seems sweet, real.

    • MJ says:

      I’m thinking “60 pounds” included two 8-pound babies, amneotic fluid and a placenta.

    • Sammi says:

      I think that was her pre-twins weight. Everyone I know that has had twins (even the skinny minis) has gained at least 40 pounds. Remember JLO, Mariah Carey, Jenna Jameson looked before popping? I think Rebecca just isnt papped as much. but kudos to her for admitting its hard because it is really hard to lose weight since it does take a lot of committment

    • telesma says:

      If you had seen her in ‘Eastwick’, you wouldn’t say that. I didn’t even recognize her for the first few episodes.

  7. Messenger says:

    yoga is an ancient practice and those who practice it reap its many benefits. rebecca looks beautiful and fit. kudos to her for losing weight the healthy intelligent way. ie learning how to eat properly, exercise daily AND to make time for herself so that she is at her optimal. her two young daughters will certainly benefit from her example. the clarity of mind and centeredness yoga imparts will serve all of them. an invaluable lesson and gift. well done grasshopper 🙂

  8. Jackson says:

    It’s nice to hear a celeb admit that losing weight was hard. She seems very real in that interview and I always thought she was incredibly beautiful. She looks great.

    • Bluebear says:

      Thank you! I totally agree. She is getting pretty slammed here, and I know why. It is a little sickening to hear that the uber beautiful had to diet for the first time EVER, however she was born with the body she was born with. This is her frame, and she did take care of it. Good for her for admitting what no one in hollywood will. That it takes work to look perfect.

  9. Amy says:

    I hate the outfit on cover. Either of the other pictures would have been more striking. I thought she was small three weeks after giving birth so I call BS.

    • EmmaStoneWannabe says:

      Yeah really; do we have any pics of her at a heavier weight from over the past 3 years? It’s a turn-off when already-small people claim they just had to move mountains to get supertiny again. Kourt Kdash was the same way after having Mason.

      • Tuatara says:

        I recall she was in a witchy series a few years back (Eastwick??) and she was significantly heavier then. Sixty pounds though? I’m not sure, I measure in kilos.

        She has a tiny tummy. Don’t most mothers of twins have baggy bellies? I am suffering from major belly envy.

        I love the cover outfit (sorry Amy!!). Grey and yellow is gorgeous.

  10. TG says:

    She looks great and I thought her struggles were realistic sounding. I am 13 months out of giving birth and I know exactly what she went thru. I am still trying to lost the last 12 pounds of course the frappachino I am drinking isn’t helping. I think before I didn’t need any discipline or diet and now I do. But I want to fit back into my clothes since buying new clothes isn’t an option for me. And one thing my college cross county coach taught me was when you start outgrowing your clothes it is time to do something about it. Don’t buy bigger clothes.

  11. The Truth Fairy says:

    Soooooo much better than Gisele “my labor was a breeze and I lost the baby weight 5 minutes after I gave birth” Bundchen.

    • Bluebear says:

      You must mean Gisele “I don’t treat my body like a garbage disposal like you mortals” Bundchen.

  12. imabrat says:

    If the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life was lose weight, I’d call myself blessed.

  13. Rita says:

    She does look great but I’d like to see the real pictures of her with +60 pounds. If she thought losing that weight was tough, what about the Chineese gal who gave birth to a 16 pound baby.

  14. skipper says:

    Quitting smoking is harder. So is losing those pesky 10 pounds you put on after you turn 30 and 40 and 50. It’s also hard to go to school full-time and work and be a single, breastfeeding mother.

    I guess I’m supposed to be impressed b/c she admits that it didn’t just fall off from breastfeeding.

  15. Kim says:

    At her age she should have been able to drop the weight rather quickly if eating right and exercising. After all most of that weight was the 2 babies she had in her. I think she is embellishing to seem relatable.

    • telesma says:

      I’m guessing she was not eating right or really exercising, because the weight was real. See her stint on the short-lived ‘Eastwick’ if you don’t believe me. She does not even look like herself in that show, definitely heavy, to the point where I suspect that she was carrying more than an extra 60 lbs. At her height, I don’t think 60 lbs should have made that big a difference to how recognizable she was.

  16. Shamozzle says:

    OMG someone give her a shoulder to cry on the poor love!! *rollseyes*

  17. Boodles says:

    Why is no one commenting on the budget photoshop in the last photo? Look at her belly and top of her right leg, WTH.