Melissa Joan Hart Loses Baby Weight, Feels "Amazing"

by Katherine Tweed (Subscribe to Katherine Tweed's posts)
May 28th 2009 2:00PM

Melissa Joan Hart graces the cover of PEOPLE magazine this week in a bikini showing off a leaner, stronger physique than her beach body last year.

The former "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" star was "horrified" by beach pictures that circled the Internet last summer, which bloggers were quick to attack. Like many people, seeing photos of herself in a bathing suit was a wake-up call that she needed to focus on fitness.

The weight was left over after giving birth to her sons Mason, 3, and 14-month-old Braydon. Melissa is honest about the fact that it took hard work and more than a year to go from 155 pounds down to her current weight of 113. "It didn't happen by magic – it was as hard for me as it would be for anyone else," she tells PEOPLE.

She was inspired by her mother as well as her friend and fellow actress Jaime Pressly who slimmed down quickly after giving birth. "I realized I didn't have to be heavy just because I have kids."

Melissa's story is not unique, but a reminder that even with young kids at home it is important to find the time to take care of yourself and your body. "I feel amazing!" she says. "I had to prove to myself that I could do it. I had to give it a go!"

See how other famous moms shed the post-baby pounds in the gallery below.

How Celeb Moms Slim Down

By Jennifer Fields,Vicki Salemi and Christina Parrella

Voted FHM's Sexiest Woman in the World in 2007, Jessica Alba admitted in an interview with Cosmopolitan UK that during her pregnancy she's never felt less sexy and couldn't wait to lose all her baby weight. Jessica gained 25 pounds while pregnant and said she craved all food in general but told Fit Pregnancy that she had a sudden desire for citrus based foods like lemonade and oranges.

Ginsburg-Spaly, X17online.com

How did Jessica Alba manage to look so slim shortly after giving birth to her daughter Honor Marie? "I wore a girdle," the star confessed in a recent issue of Elle. "Eight weeks after my girlfriend had her baby, you could see her six-pack. She told me to put an elastic band around my waist -- any kind of band or girdle works."

The actress did, however, have to hit the gym to shape up to shoot Club Campari's annual calendar. "[The workouts] were horrible," she told the magazine.

It was reported in People that Jessica shed the baby weight on celebrity trainer Ramona Braganza's 321 Baby Bulge Be Gone plan. On it, Jessica opted for a low-fat, low-carb diet and worked out with her trainer six days a week.

Gregg DeGuire, WireImage.com

During her pregnancy with twins Dolly and Charlie, Rebecca Romijn told Page Six Magazine, "I can't move anymore...I'm a beached whale!" According to her husband, Jerry O'Connell, the supermodel and "Ugly Betty" star reportedly craved "a lot of ice cream."

Revolutionpix/INF Photo

Just one month after giving birth, Romijn was spotted looking svelte while out and about in Calabasas, Calif. wearing a form-fitting top and yoga pants.

Brogmus / INF

While pregnant with son Bronx, Ashlee Simpson-Wetz took to her blog to make it clear she wasn't worried about putting on a few pregnancy pounds: "Carrying a child is the most inspiring, emotional, amazing experience of my life. My weight and my pants size are the absolute last thing I am concerned about. I am only concerned with having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby."

Bauer-Griffin

In an effort to shed the 30 pounds she gained while pregnant with Bronx, it's been reported that Simpson-Wentz has turned to Jackie Keller's 30-day Body After Baby plan, which incorporates "mommy and me" workouts. Ashlee's also using Keller's meal delivery service, called Nutrifit.

Bruce Gifford, FilmMagic / Getty Images

British beauty Kate Winslet is said to have felt she was the size of a bus after gaining 55 pounds during her pregnancy.

Gareth Gay, Alpha/Globe Photos

In order to shed the pounds Kate gained prior to delivering daughter Mia, the five-time Oscar nominee relied on the popular British facial analysis diet, which prescribes a meal plan based on an individual's complexion and facial features.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

The always-stunning Halle Berry was constantly aglow during her pregnancy. Part of the reason could have been the fitness routine she maintained throughout that included yoga and swimming.

X17online.com

Just six weeks after giving birth to a baby girl, Berry flaunted her voluptuous post-partum figure -- the result of hour-long sessions with celeb trainer trainer Ramona Braganza in which she used the elliptical and stair climbing machines and did kickboxing.

Toby Canham, Getty Images

Comments (140)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)

debb 5-29-2009 @ 6:37AM

Why is that all of you that are so called.. 'commenting' ..are just Plugging your Diet Products!??? What a joke.. this is probably some fat guy from the UK or worse, posting every one of the 4 comments, just making up stories to get people to go to his website to buy stuff that Does NOT work either!! HA! ha! ha!

jen 5-29-2009 @ 7:07AM

You are so right. It's become a place to advertise. Nothing works as well as a sensible diet and exercise. Once you stop taking any of these pills, the pounds come back on since they don't know how to maintain the loss for life. It's just stupid and usually very unsafe.

Amanda 5-29-2009 @ 8:30AM

Ummm, why is it a fat guy from the UK? I mean, the posts plugging stupid websites are annoying, but YOU are just being insulting to people from the UK. Seriously, most of this diet stuff is American, and more stupid Americans buy it than any other nation, so keep your comments to yourself too - you and all the diet product pluggers!

Jill 5-31-2009 @ 3:59PM

YOU ARE SO RIGHT! I THINK THE SAME THING! Its all about portion control which is so hard when all they do on TV is show food commercials and if you go out to eat everything is SUPER SIZE!

Frank 5-29-2009 @ 7:26AM

Awww I Love Melissa!! I Wish I Could See More Of Her On TV, I Hate The Dumb Celebs They Are Currently Using!! She Looks Great No Matter What And I Will Buy The Mag Just Cause She's On The Cover!!

cath 5-29-2009 @ 7:02AM

BRAVO DEB!!!!!

Whoever is reading these comments, please I beg you don't listen to any of those diet plugs. It really just boils down to eating right and finding a few minutes to exercise, and trust me chasing children around the house counts. Take care of your body, stay away from quick fixes, pill popping, or strange ethnic sounding teas.

brandi 5-29-2009 @ 7:27AM

This frankly makes me SICK!!! I cannot believe that this is the focus of the COVER of this magazine. This is great, just the idea that we need to give to young girls and women....that you are horrid, ugly, and unacceptable if you are a LITTLE bit overweight. 155!!! I weigh more than that by 5 pounds, have yet to have a child, and am struggling with self acceptance everyday! The media pumps girls and women full of garbage just like this saying that you are not beautiful unless you weigh 105-120 lbs! Well you know what---that is horrbile! We need to convey that true beauty is in the inside! It is who you are as a person. You need to be within the healthy BMI for otpimal body health but that is it! As long as it isn't affecting your health. These are the pictures that are plastered all over magazines, TV, movies, and billboards----guys are starting to use this as what a women's body should look like, obesity is on the rise in this country (sadly) and THIS is not the norm! We need to get people to care about physical HEALTH rather than physical APPEARANCE!! Getting women to love themselves for who they are DOES NOT start with all this crap!!

mdbbm 5-29-2009 @ 9:09AM

brandi, unless you are over 5'8" then 160lbs is not healthy and is a medical issue. I think complacency is the problem with our country. People convince themselves that everyone's overweight, so it's okay if they are too.

This article is a good depiction of how hard work pays off. Melissa is 5'2". At a weight of 155lbs her BMI is 28, which is ovrewight. She now weighs 113lbs, which makes her current BMI 20 and puts her in the healthy range. I do agree that a lot of Hollywood starlets are emaciated and unhealthy, however, this article is not about one of them.

How about you do some research before you start playing the victim card.

Julianna 5-29-2009 @ 9:46AM

its not the fact that she is 115 pounds. Its the fact that she worked hard to be healthy.

So you shouldn't get so upset over the media praising self awareness. She realized that for whats she does, be it acting or being a mom, she needed to be more capable of being active.

Im not saying the media is right ALWAYS about weight loss. I definitly do not agree with that, but in this case i feel it is okay. Its not saying "Thank God Melissa lost weight b/c she was so bad and ugly before!" its saying "Mellisa realizes she is getting over weight and does something about it!"

jo 5-29-2009 @ 12:55PM

You go, girl. I'm watching my 10 year old girl and her 8 year old friends freak out about being "fat." (They aren't.) I'm with you all the way.

rdixiesunrise61 5-29-2009 @ 10:45AM

This has nothing to do with being young. Melissa is not a teenager. She had issues with her weight and did something healthy about it. That all there is to it. She didn't go on a fad diet to lose the weight. She didn't use liposuction. That is what the article is stating. She also didn't become an anorexic. She is showing the young women that you can lose weight the healthy way. I
I am in the same boat. I weigh 140 lbs, I am 5'2" tall and I am slightly overweight. I keep telling myself that I am going to lose it but I lose 5 lbs and then gain it back.
One day I will go down to the 120 lbs that I want to be at. Oh and by the way I am 48 years old. I don't feel healthy and that is why I want to lose the weight. You didn't say how tall you were. If you are short you are in a very unhealthy state.
i wish you alot of luck losing that weight and I am glad that you are ok with the way you are. but others like Melissa and I it isn't a matter of just looking good it is a matter being healthy.

P.S. I was always UNDERWEIGHT when I was growing up. This extra 20 lbs that I am carrying is making feel like I weight more than that.

tropicsbabe84 5-29-2009 @ 10:59AM

Brandi I agree with you all the way! Its disgusting how people (women) cannot live their lives normally without obsessing over weight.
I think its awesome that all of these mothers are losing weight after pregnancy, but its sending the message that if you gained weight and didn't lose it, then you failed. When I have a child, I know its going to change my body and I'm not going to be able to higher celebrity trainers and ever get back to the size I was as a teenager. I just wish the media would portray weight gain after pregnancy as the normal occurrence it is.
Love Melissa Joan Hart and congratulations to her, I think SHE looks great!

Rosie McDonalds 6-25-2009 @ 5:18PM

Sad that you try to rationalize being overweight and unhealthy. Today's a new day. Get exercising and watch the diet. Then you won't have to make excuses for your condition. You'll feel better mentally also. Good luck!

Anonymous 5-29-2009 @ 1:02PM

yeah... it is ok to love yourself, but not allow for yourself to love you to the point of self-neglect... if that makes any sense. You definitely need to shed some pounds, 160 is quite unhealthy. I weigh 175, I am a 5'11" male, and i still think i could be healthier 10 pounds lighter, and I love myself, too much.

Lindsay 5-29-2009 @ 1:33PM

Just so you know, BMI doesn't tell anything. It doesn't take muscle into account and therefore is not a good tool at all for some people to use, especially athletes. Also, not knowing Melissa's height is not fair in comparing yourself to her. PS. exercise is a great way to boost that self-acceptance you struggle with. Best of luck.

Susan 5-29-2009 @ 2:02PM

Actually, I think Melissa looks healthy. She does not look too skinny. It is not healthy to be overweight. I've gained a little too much weight myself this past year and I am not happy about it. I think this "cover" is very inspiring and motivating.