american-idol-related stories
Megan Mullally, Best Running Shoes and Shin Pain - Week in Review - March 23 to March 29
Simon Cowell once quipped that a bigger stage was in order when she stepped on it, but former "American Idol" contestant Mandisa is the real winner now. She recently lost 75 pounds.Get ready for spring with a pair of new running shoes. Kristen has the top picks of 2009.
Dane Patterson was eliminated from "The Biggest Loser" three weeks ago, but what he really needs to be ashamed about is faking the last three miles of his marathon. Does his redo redeem him?
High protein diets may help you trim the fat quickly, but are they really the best choice? Ashley's got the scoop. (Hint: If it's got the word "diet" in it, it's probably not.)
Jonny thinks cardio isn't the best exercise for weight loss, but he says that's not a reason not to do it. With cardio losing out to the more efficient interval training, are you still taking those long walks or run?
Karla's found that weight loss has changed the way she looks at her love life ... desperately seeking balance. Did weight loss affect one of your relationships in a positive or negative way?
Experts think they've narrowed down the pace of a solid, healthy walk -- 100 steps a minute. But did they account for varying levels of fitness?
Shin pain in my nemesis, which is why I want to hug Fitz for her advice on preventing and treating shin pain.
Fit and 50, Megan Mullally loves Pilates and was once addicted to step classes. Learn more about how this "In the Motherhood" star stays looking so hot.
American Idol Alum 75 Pounds Lighter
She may not have won on "American Idol" back in her day, but season 5 contestant Mandisa is definitely winning the battle of the bulge. Picked on for being fat for much of her life ("Idol" judge Simon Cowell chimed right in, announcing that the show needed a bigger stage to accommodate her), the 32-year-old locked her sights on dropping a few and is now 75 pounds lighter. How did she do it? The good old-fashioned way: Through diet and exercise. Mandisa is a cardio girl who works out five days per week. And her diet is a healthy one, heavy on salads, lean meats and fiber. There's nothing extreme about how she's approaching her transformation -- she's making slow and steady progress, and the proof is in her clothing and her self-confidence. "Being able to fit into clothes I couldn't before is great," she says. "To be able to walk into a room and not feel self-conscious, I don't ever remember feeling this way."
Mandisa, a Grammy-nominated Christian singer, had long-embraced food as her drug of choice, after being sexually abused as a child and teen. Once she started "using," her problems only got worse -- classmates taunted her, a health insurance company denied her coverage and just last summer while on vacation, she was so out of breath she couldn't see all the sights. That's when she decided she needed to lose 100 pounds.
The "Idol" alum, whose new album "Freedom" releases today, is committed to her new routine, and while she's still 25 pounds from her goal, she's taking a realistic approach about what's to come. "I want to be healthy, and I believe my body will get to whatever it's supposed to be," she says. "It could be a size 8 – but personally I like a girl with a little meat on her bones! I don't need to look like the models on the magazine covers in order to be beautiful." Indeed, she is beautiful. Check out her before and after pics here.
American Idol Body Transformations
By Gabrielle Linzer
'Shape Magazine' reported that Grammy-winning vegetarian Carrie Underwood has dropped between 15 and 20 pounds since her Idol days by hitting the treadmill, swimming and sticking to healthy eats. Although she admits to a weakness for cheese, Underwood prevents herself from overindulging by keeping a food diary and carrying around whole grain Kashi bars wherever she goes.
Stephen Shugerman, Getty Images
Though he has dropped almost 100 pounds, American Idol (AI) season 2 victor Ruben Studdard, is as cuddly as ever. According to MSNBC, Studdard kicked his weight loss into high gear in order to avoid being struck by one of numerous diseases that run in his family including diabetes and high blood pressure. By attending a weight management center at Duke University, he was able to learn how to make healthier choices and upon leaving, adopted a vegetarian diet.
Katy Winn, Getty Images
Kelly Clarkson, the original queen of AI, reportedly does not believe in diets. However, we hear that since AI, she has refined her eating habits (focusing on portion control) and amping up her fitness routine instead of following any particular diet plan. Clarkson told 'Us Weekly' that she indulges in her penchant for chocolate, but only to a certain point. and sprints around concert arenas work best for this belting beauty.
Getty Images
Along with his daily 45 minute runs and energetic stage performances, 'People Magazine' reports Taylor Hicks was able to drop 22 pounds, which we think has helped given him an uncanny resemblance to George Clooney. Plus, cutting back on his beloved Southern fried foods and upping his intake of brown rice, salad, chicken soup couldn't have hurt.
Mark Mainz, Getty Images
After a five-year battle with bulimia, AI season 5 runner-up Katherine McPhee managed to drop 30 pounds the healthy way by sticking to the Intuitive eating plan. She told Shape Magazine that the plan worked because she can munch on anything she pleases, but when she's full, she stops. Exercise-wise McPhee tones her muscles with weight training and likes to walk on the treadmill for 45 minutes four to five days a week.
Steve Granitz, WireImage.com
Oscar-winning Dreamgirl Jennifer Hudson knows how to have a good time, but don't ask her to stay out late partying: It's been reported by 'Us Weekly' that J-Hud wakes up before dawn for her daily run, followed by squats, push-ups and sit-ups. This AI Season 3 finalist dropped 60 pounds through her rigorous workout routine and a healthy diet that included staple items such as salads, grilled chicken and cranberry juice. When she needs an energy boost, Hudson turns to a stash of diet-smart snacks: almonds, cashews, and raisins.
Frazer Harrison, Getty Images
AI season 2 finalist Kimberley Locke reportedly lost about 25 pounds weight with the help of a stint on 'Celebrity Fit Club.' But when she wanted to drop another 40, she called Jenny Craig. Along with the help of her "Jenny" diet, Locke began jumping rope for exercise.
Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images
'US Weekly' dubbed Kellie Pickler "the next Jessica Simpson," and like her blond counterpart, the AI season 5 finalist also got serious about shaping up. Pickler gained nearly 20 pounds munching on candy backstage during her time on the show. But by taking simple measures, such as replacing offstage sweets with vegetables, she eliminated almost all junk food from her diet. Pickler stays fit by playing football with band members and with a killer ab routine, in which she does 100 crunches a day on her tour bus.
Gregg DeGuire, WireImage.com
Kellie Pickler - The Country Star Drops 28 Pounds and Exclusively Tells That's Fit How
Celebrity Fitzness Report, Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.
Kellie Pickler has gone through a wicked physical transition of the past few years. When she auditioned to appear on American Idol, at five feet tall, she weighed in as a featherweight 100 pounds. But by the time the competition and Idol tour was over, she had packed on 28 pounds in less than a year. That's a lot of weight on a very little person. The weight gain made Kellie feel bad, but one fellow celebrity (whom most people love and adore) helped her see the light and lose the weight. Read on to hear her story.
Fitz: Your body has changed a ton since you landed in the spotlight. Tell me about that.
Kellie: Oh my goodness! My body has made a big transformation. When I auditioned for Idol I was only 100 pounds and kind of riding on "the young card." Although I exercised a ton, I think I stayed thin because I was ... young! But my eating habits on Idol and the during the tour became terrible. We were always eating fast food on the road and having late night munchies. I gained 28 pounds in less than a year!
Fitz: How'd you take it off?
