Are you guys watching “Ringer”? I’ve heard mixed reviews for it, like it’s supposed to be super cheesy but soapy and fun. Sarah Michelle Gellar is enjoying a comeback of sorts with the show, and she has a large loyal fanbase from “Buffy.” The 34 year-old mother of one is on the cover of Self’s December issue looking hot in a little gold sequin mini and off the shoulder sweater. She tells Self that she doesn’t own a scale, that she doesn’t believe in weighing herself at all and just goes by how her clothes fit. She exercises and eat healthy though, and also tries to buy fresh food every day with her husband, Freddie Prinze, Jr.
On working out
I still work out, but not five days a week. I do Pilates, I run on the treadmill, I walk to the soundstage rather than taking the cart. I wish I could say I was in the best shape of my life right now, but I don’t put the same pressure on myself that I used to. So I don’t rock a bikini on Wilshire Boulevard — but I don’t know many people who do!On not owning a scale
You can’t live your life by the scale. We don’t even have one in our house. I’ve never believed in them, because your weight fluctuates. It’s more about how my clothing fits than a number. Besides, if you deny yourself everything because you’re so focused on the mirror or the scale, then when do you get to enjoy life?”On being judged by her weight
If you wear one bulky sweater, you’re pregnant or you’re fat. When you’re 5-foot-4 like me, any weight gain can look like a lot. People dissect you for 2 pounds. That can be incredibly difficult, but I don’t take it as personally anymore.I care only that I’m healthy. Besides, I’m not an actor who is known for her body necessarily. I hope I have a few other things going for me!
On having cake when she wants
Every weekend we’re at two or three parties. Now I’m not going to eat the cake at every one, but when it is homemade or looks particularly good, I’ll indulge.Really, how is eating a piece of cake bad? Being bad is murdering someone. That’s bad. Don’t do that.
On unplugging
Everybody is on text and Twitter. People don’t have conversations. I turn off my iPhone every evening, and my games aren’t on it. I keep my games only on my iPad, so I don’t have to hear the buzzing of Words With Friends all the time.On not googling herself
I never Google myself. There has to be something better I can be doing than reading about myself!On being a mom to 2 year-old Charlotte
Charlotte is my best friend and any free time I have, I want to spend with her. But … I can’t define myself as only Charlotte’s mother — one day she’s going to be an adult, and then where am I?On her relationship with her husband
Freddie and I get our time together, too. Relationships are like flowers: They need attention to grow and develop.On shopping every day and clipping coupons
People think it’s so expensive to eat like that, but there are ways to do it so it’s not as pricey. We shop at Whole Foods, but we ask which fish is on sale.”And I clip coupons all the time. Why should you pay for something that someone else is paying less for?
[Self online and via US Weekly, People]
I can’t relate to not using a scale because I usually weigh myself every morning and then I write it down in a little book. This may sound obsessive to some of you, and I know that a lot of diet plans, like Weight Watchers, recommend that you weigh in just once a week because you can get frustrated by the daily changes. For me, though, I need to know that I’m on track and weighing myself is my way of doing that. When you see those numbers go up, you are motivated to rein it in. By the time my clothes start getting tight, that feels too late, you know? Other people have different relationships with food though.
Anyway Gellar also told Health Magazine a couple of months ago that she never looks in mirrors and probably has body dysmorphic disorder. So she may not be stepping on a scale or even looking in the mirror but she’s looking amazing by everyone else’s estimate. She also seems really candid and down to earth. I love that she’s still with Freddie Prinze, Jr. Can you belive that they’ve been married for 9 years!
These photos are from Self, where there are more. Cover image via glamorous-smg.com.
Most diet plans recommend weigh-ins, but I have experience with how easy it is to get obsessed with a certain number. Fortunately for Sarah Michelle Gellar, she appears to be naturally thin, so there really is no need for her to get crazy about weight numbers. Her just going by clothing fit is fine.
Exactly! I am pleased that someone famous does the same thing I do. Weighing oneself is deceptive so,sometimes because of water retention (especially a week or so before and during that time of the month). She looks great, she should give Jennifer Love Hewitt some tips.
Love her 🙂
Im with her 100% on not weighing myself. I only do it about once a year, if that. I used to be obsessed with it when i was a teen but then i realized how that number would set my mood for the day. I refuse to ever go down that road again.
If my jeans fit comfy, Im good. when they get a little snug, I cut back on the junk.
I stood in line next to her for a reeeeally long time once back during the Buffy days and I was amazed at how petite she is. I believe she is a naturally attractive, thin, almost tiny person.
She does look pretty damn good, and definitely a little healthier than when she was at her super-skinny, late-Buffy weight.
I love the fact that she has been married almost a decade, that she and Freddie waited quite awhile to make sure their marriage was solid before having a kid, and that she stays out of the limelight unless she has something to promote. She is a professional.
I too go by clothing fit and not by the scale. Dont want to get obsessed with a number since it will always tend to fluctuate.
I’m like CB, when the clothes get tight it’s way too late and I start to fall apart and eat a crap load more to make myself feel better. I’m tall and if I don’t use a scale I won’t know if I gained weight or not. This past summer I gained 10 pounds and I didn’t even realize it until I started wearing jeans again after wearing dresses all season. What a nightmare.
I like her, she seems very genuine.
Yup, I go by how my clothes fit. I haven’t owned a scale in over a decade.
I’m watching Ringer, and it is intriguing fun.
I’ve loved SMG since Buffy.
I’m the exact same way. I very rarely weight myself. I go by the size I fit into.
*as I’m eating a brownie while typing. lol
I kind agree with the no scale thing. I don’t own one, and never have. But, I do almost compulsively weigh myself on every scale I see–at the doc office, at friend’s houses, etc. I KNOW it’s just a number, but with clothing sizes being all over the place (I have everything from a 6 to a 14 in my closet) it’s nice to have something measurable so I know I’m on track.
I just wanna know, how is it when some celebrities give marriage/life advice they’re being down-to-earth, but others are being snobby bitches? I have no opinion on this girl whatsoever, but she came off as a little preachy and know-it-allish to me. But someone like Lea Michele who I think seems pretty sweet is accused of being a major bitch. I don’t get it.
I’m enjoying Ringer, it’s definitely twisty fun.
She seems pretty grounded, which is good considering she started working as a kid, I think. She was very skinny for a while there on Buffy, but looks healthier now.
I wouldn’t guess she’s 5’4″, I thought she was shorter than that. She always seems tiny.
I like this interview! It could be just some good PR but I related to almost everything she says, re: indulging once a in a while, family, relationships etc.
She doesnt own a scale??? yeah whatever
I adore SMG since the Buffy days, so I am so happy she came back with an awesome show like Ringer, it leaves me wanting for more every week!
Wished she talked more about how she keeps the years off her face, she looks amazing!
Love her-been a fan since her Buffy days. I also love how she and FPJ waited to make sure their marriage was solid before having a child. I’ve read interviews w her before and she always seems so natural and down to earth.
“Really, how is eating a piece of cake bad? Being bad is murdering someone. That’s bad. Don’t do that.” Best.Line.inalong.Time.
I do the same thing because if my clothes are feeling tighter that means I will have to buy new clothes and I AINT RICH. So I get back on the wagon till the clothes feel better and then I feel better 🙂 Its called maintaining.
I haven’t known what I weigh in over fifteen years, even at the Dr’s during my pregnancies I shut my eyes and ask they don’t say it out loud. It works way better for me. I won’t be happy with the # unless it’s like 103 and I’d be very unhealthy at that weight. It seems the more I focus on my weight or worry about it the fluffier I get. When I just tell myself I’m lean and look great I stay in my ideal size. I’m very fit and active though. It’s funny how women have their own way of dealing with this issue. A bunch of my friends are compulsive weigh-ers but I’d jump off a bridge. If I inadvertently hear the# I’m morbidly depressed for weeks.
Aw, she looks gorgeous and her interview makes her sound really sweet. But yeah, Ringer is not very good – sometimes it’s hard to tell which sister she’s supposed to be.
I like this girl even though I’ve never watched a single thing she has been in (that I can remember). She seems honest and grounded.
I have weighed everyday of my life for about 18 years. We had a scale in the warehouse at work and that’s what started it. After 13 years I left that job and had to buy an at home scale because I was so used to the routine. I’m 5’1″ tall (or short, as the case may be) and extra weight shows up on me really easily. Despite the scale thing, I have put on about 10 – 15 pounds over the last five years that I am trying to take off now. The brownie eater up top made me crave….but I ate my Healthy Choice instead! Hope I can make it through those dread nighttime hours tonight…w/o givin in to temptation. BTW, does anyone know of a good, healthy, salty (ala potato chips, my weakness) snack food that I can enjoy semi-guilt-free? Any help really appreicated.
I loved Buffy but man she seems a bit vacant from that interview. Each quote had me hearing it in the voice of an ADD teenager who talks to fast. It was just so shallow.
@23 Really? It’s amazing how people can read the same article and get something different from it. I disagree I felt she was very candid and direct and genuine. I felt like if she was shallow, she would be obsessed with her body and weight and etc. She would also be whoring her fame around like the K-Klan, but that’s just me.
I love her interviews. She’s sharp and funny, seems very genuine. She was on Conan last week I think.
Ringer is trash, but in the funnest way. <3
Kara Ann, do you like popcorn? Pop it yourself with just a tsp of canola and then add some salt. 1/8 c unpopped = about 3 c popped, which is 100 cals, and a tsp of oil is about 30 cals, so not too shabby.
I weigh myself once a week. I figure I’d rather spend a week or two losing 2 lbs by cutting out carbs and junk food, than wait until I’m suddenly 15 lbs over and need to officially diet for a few weeks.
I love her, but I don’t think she’s 5’4. I sympathize though. I’m 5’2.5 and always round up to 5’3, which usually earns a side-eye from my mom (who is herself 5’1).
Kara Ann, have you tried Pop Chips? I just tried them last week, not bad. Definitely not as tasty as regular chips, but healthier and lower in calories.
I’m on a good streak right now so I check the scale daily, it helps me see progress and stay motivated. But I think if I had her little figure I wouldn’t pay attention to the numbers either!
I’m a no scale girl, too. I go by the clothes.
ewwwww, “sale” fish.
I don’t own a scale either, and I refuse to look at the number when I’m at the doctor’s office. I know by my clothes and other things when I need to drop a few and can pretty much tell by those things what weight range I’m in anyway. I suffered from bulimia and anorexia for years, and it’s mentally healthier for me to not see an actual number. I’ve been a normal and healthy eater now for many years and a normal weight and size, and even though I logically know that I weigh more now (and could seriously lose 15 pounds), not having a scale to confirm the amount is better for me. I would rather be slightly pudgy than ever ever ever go back to the eating disorder hell that saps every last ounce of anything out of a person. Maybe avoiding scales is not indicative of perfect mental health, but the alternative for me is bad.
I never liked her before, but she seems much more likeable after reading that interview. And her looks have improved with age. Some people are like that;I bet she’ll be stunning when she gets into her 40’s.
Good for her!I use to live by the scale when I was younger, in fact I suffered from a eating disorder because people called me fat, it became my obsession for many years.Now I don’t even own a scale, especially with two girls in the house.It’s all about balance,and not about the number that is on the scale.
That was a nice little interview, she definitely came across as down to earth and made me kind of like her.I can’t believe she and Freddy Prinze Jr. have been married that long. I remember when I was a teenager and they were a “teen-idol” couple. I feel so old!
@Shelly,
I liked your post, I feel like I could have written that about myself!
#25 Granger,
I will try the self-made popcorn. I haven’t done that in years. It kinda sounds fun to do it the old fashioned way (sans microwave)!
#27 Lucy2,
Pop Chips sound great! I don’t expect the full-bodied potato chip experience. Hope I can find them at any old grocery store. Not into “specialty” shops.
Thank you both for your advice. I turn 40 the day after Thanksgivng and I really don’t want to be an overweight 40 year old! In my own defense, though, I have to say I still think I look pretty dang good, extra lb’s and all!
She came out of the child acting world with a pretty solid head on her shoulders and seems very grounded. She also doesn’t seem to take herself too seriously.
I haven’t owned a scale since my early 30’s and I’m mid-fifties now. I excercise daily, eat well, indulge on special occasions and don’t fret it. ( And I’m uber short so weight shows immediately.) Life is too short to obsess over a few pounds. I go by how I feel.
Kara Ann, I have a HUGE salty tooth as well. So I eat roasted chickpeas (high in protein and you can make it taste like whatever you want) and popcorn. You can also buy pita bread, cut it into triangles, brush it with a little olive oil, season it with whatever you like, and pop it in the oven. It’ll taste kind of like tortilla chips and it’s cheap as hell to make. You can even eat it with salsa. So it’s high in fiber and with the salsa you get your veggies. Just make sure the salsa is homemade because a lot of the ones on the market are VERY high in sodium. Good luck girl!
Me too! I am close to “The Change”, and my clothes still fit-but I keep getting heavier. Argh-“what a drag it is to get old”-even more reason not to check my weight. Better to feel confident about my appearance and to concentrate on eating right and staying in good physical shape. I have a back injury, so it’s pretty much walking for me and swimming in the summer, which is fine.
Besides, the scientists have spoken on dieting-apparently there is a chemical in your body that signals the brain to engage body signals that won’t let you keep the weight off from a stringent diet-mainly triggering hunger and conserving body fat…
Oh and if you’re looking for a good salsa recipe I recommend Pioneer Woman’s recipe (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/restaurant-style-salsa/)
I’m a huge Buffy fan and love everything SMG had to say. Ringer is shaping up to be an ok show. However, I wouldn’t stick with it if the star was someone other than SMG.
@kara Ann, I second the pop chips recommendation! Also, have you tried “ruffles light?” They’re 70 calories per serving but they contain Olestra. So if you eat too much it can cause diarrhea. My husband didn’t realize they were “diet” chips and ate an entire bag! It definitely taught him a lesson LOL.
Tina Fey has said the same thing about going by her clothes fit instead of weighing herself. I think that’s a good idea, it seems less obsessive than weighing yourself every day and freaking out every time your weight fluctuates a little bit.
She was very skinny, almost gaunt by the end of Buffy. I’m glad she’s looking healthier now. And I really need to download the Ringer, it looks hilariously trashy.
she looks awesome. i miss buffy.
I don’t get cable so I’ve never seen Ringer. I adore SMG tho. Got all the Buffy seasons and I’m even looking for that cheesy SCooby Doo movie that SMG and Freddie were both in.
“I can look at myself naked” (actual movie line)
diet-wise.. I have more of a sweet tooth than a salty one.I found some stuff at walmart that I really liked, but ofc they didn’t carry these things for long so yay for internet and website selling.
Buddy Fruits- basically pureed fruit in squeeze bags, often aimed at toddlers but i don’t care, i like them too.
buddyfruits.com
Brothers all natural Dried fruit crisps- I’ve tried strawberry-banana and apple-cinnamon, loved them both. They are freeze-dried fruit slices. actual slices. Astronaut food! Astronaut food is always fun.
they do make a potato crisp but I’ve never tried it.
brothersallnatural.com
What’s wrong with going by both? I also will throw a tape measure around my hips now and then if the scale shows a weight gain. I don’t have an eating disorder, but maintaining a healthy weight can take some work. I like to know each day where I am starting out.
ambergesa, I loved your comment! When I was pregnant, I also told the doctors not to tell me my weight at any point. Once he forgot about it and told me, and I came crying out of the appointment. Sounds so silly and superficial, I know, but I’d just rather not know the number!
And I wasn’t fat at all, even at the end of my pregnancy my BMI was hardly over 19.
Especially since I suffered from EDs in my late teens, I don’t want to become fixated in the numbers any more. Feeling out my body works so much better for me. Personally I think that if you can’t feel the difference in your body if you gain or lose 5 pounds, you need to learn to listen to your body better, not just stare at the scale.
She’s gorgeous and so is her husband…one of my favorite celeb couples and they both seem nice and down to earth too
I adore the Whedon shows and I have nothing but love and respect for SMG… but c’mon Sarah – 5’4″?
In three inch heels, maybe.
But I think she has an excellent attitude towards life and I look forward to buying the first season of Ringer on DVD (dear god don’t spoil any of it for me!).
I’ve seen her in person, up close on a set of Ringer. She is haggard and double chined and a bit fat. I was so surprised!!! It’s amazing how Photoshopped these imaged are and how good lighting on a set can make her look good. The smoke and mirrors of Hollywood can really do the impossible.
“Murdering someone is bad. Don’t do that.”
lol, that made me laugh!
My 4 yr old & loves cheddar cheese mini rice cakes. They are one of her favorite snacks. They are really yummy.
We eat a lot of fruit and veggies- no high fructose corn syrup. God knows why they need to put that stuff in jelly.
One of my favorites is roasted spaghetti squash with spaghetti sauce instead of pasta. I still eat the bread but one carb is better than two!
The black dress – where did it come from? She is adorable!
She always comes across as pretty awesome in interviews. I go by how my clothes fit. Stopped using a scale a year ago after I started becoming obsessed with a number-wasn’t healthy (for me).
oh i remember when she was super thin in buffy. i thought she looked great but she looks qt with a couple of extra pounds on, so who cares! besides it’s wise of her to gain back a bit as she’s growing older. and it definitely didn’t happen all of a sudden either, she gained slowly over the years. glad she’s healthy
#36 (can’t read name):
I love chick peas and I wouldn’t have thought of that. Wouldn’t have thought have the pita bread thing either and I do have a bag of tortillas sitting next to me right now. For comfort. Not to eat! I take all the good luck offered.
#39 Morticians do it better:
I’ve only done the 100 calorie snack packs! Will try ruffles. Your poor hubby. Even I don’t won’t to lose weight that way!
She is awesome and “Ringer” is really good!!
sarah,ringer is amazing cant wait to by it, i have every episode of buffy and you are my fav actras, what was it like to work with james masters and david borianaz and the rest do you have contact with them hope to hear from you soon