I made a lot of friends over the years and I would always look at what they were eating. All of them were skinny. I would think that I would like to eat like that.

Around age 40 I put on twenty pounds. I had always had a perfect metabolism. But, my metabolism betrayed me as it does most people, except a very rare few who will always be thin.

I started dieting. I dieted, dieted, dieted and tried all the diets and I would lose and then I would go back to normal eating and would put it on and then some.

I actually have never been to a gym. I haven't had time. I have been working for the last 25 years. I just don't have time to put on a little outfit and go to the gym and work out and clean up and come home.

Then there are the people who know me from the lectures. What I am really trying to do, what I need to accomplish at this time, is to fill in the gaps.

I have my hormones balanced. Most doctors are giving women synthetic hormones, which just eliminate the symptoms, but it's doing nothing to actually replace the hormones you have lost. Without our hormones we die.

Sometimes, when you are in the public eye, you just really need to just be part of the crowd, and look at other people rather than other people look at you.

That's what the gas is about, that's what the bloating is about and that's what the fat storage is about.

I started reading and talking and interviewing nutritionists and a thread was starting to form for me which is - a protein digests in a different rate of speed than a carbohydrate.

I happen to have the benefit of having a son-in-law who was the former Mr. France and a trainer. I like being his benefactor and I like the way he works.

I always knew how to cook and at one point in my career where I had done nine television pilots before Three's Company and they all failed, I just got discouraged.

What I really need is for people to know that I don't just do this, I do this and this and this and this. We all have creativity in us and we all are multi-dimensional and we are all interested in a lot of things and that women are fabulous. We can handle a lot of things.

I eat a lot. I eat three times a day and I snack.

For years I have been going to the South of France to cool out.

Now I know that that is just the phenomena of eating this way. Most all of my letters say I hit a plateau and then one morning I woke up and the melt had happened.

You know, as long as you do everything in moderation, you don't go overboard, you don't, you know, turn your lips into guppy lips - I mean, a little zip or a little zap, that is not a big deal.

They are no longer going to serve you well. You have to commit. I think the biggest word is commit. I hear women say to me all the time, and men - I want to, I want to.

There is a general knowledge that I am multi-dimensional, that when you are creative you do a lot of things.

Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.

I made a lot of friends over the years and I would always look at what they were eating. All of them were skinny. I would think that I would like to eat like that.

Now I understand what was happening. I don't particularly gain water; I don't have water retention.

'Get Skinny' is my sixth book. I look over the books that I've written, and my subject matters are varied, and I write books pertaining to that which I'm dealing with at the moment.

A simple rule of thumb is to shop the periphery of the grocery store - that's where you'll find meat, fish, dairy, and vegetables. Choose high-quality protein such as healthy, grass-fed beef and lamb and organic chicken and pork, and eat them in moderation.

After working with many nutritionists, reading books, and practicing trial and error on my own body, I have finally found a way to control my weight without deprivation. I call my program 'Somersizing,' and Somersizing is not a diet. Diet is a nasty four-letter word that conjures up negative thoughts of sacrifice and obsession and guilt.

All those spices and herbs in your spice rack can do more than provide calorie-free, natural flavorings to enhance and make food delicious. They're also an incredible source of antioxidants and help rev up your metabolism and improve your health at the same time.

Artificial sweeteners may trigger cravings for other sweet foods. When your body is not fed nutrients, it asks again and again for more food, triggering heavy-duty cravings for fattening, sugary foods. Artificial sweeteners also mess with your metabolism.

Based on eating everyday foods in specific combinations, Somersizing is a lifestyle that will change your way of thinking about how to lose weight and how to increase your energy. Eating the Somersize way is a pleasure. It is a program for life, a program I will happily live on for the rest of my life.

Be sure to buy organic versions of the 'dirty dozen:' the fruits and vegetables that, when grown conventionally, are loaded with pesticides and chemicals: Grapes, apples, lettuce, bell peppers, carrots, nectarines, peaches, strawberries, pears, kale, and celery.

Beef should be organic and grass-fed; fish should be wild, not farm raised.

Browsing our local farmer's market is one of my family's favorite weekend activities. Make it a relaxing, healthful habit for your family, and you'll reap the nutritional rewards.

Clean, tasty, real foods do not come processed in boxes or bags; they come from the earth, the sea, the field, or the farm.

Diets - the ultimate empty promise perpetuating the same cycle over and over again. We've all been victims of yo-yo dieting. We stick to some diets longer than others, but c'mon, just how much cabbage soup can a person eat?

Do not skip meals. Eat three meals a day and eat until you feel satisfied and comfortably full.

Every chemical that makes it into your bloodstream - be it through your lungs, stomach, or skin - meets up with your liver at some point. Since your liver is your body's best defense when it comes to filtering out all those toxins, you need to treat it well.

Focus on eating real, whole, natural foods. As I love to say, if you can pick it, pluck it, milk it, or shoot it, you can eat it!

For a slim, sexy body, it's important to eat protein every day - preferably at every meal. Be sure to ask about the origins of your meat, poultry and seafood. If you can't afford organic, free-range meats, opt for natural poultry, pork, and beef that's raised without antibiotics or hormones.

Fresh, organic, cage-free eggs that slip right out of the shell are a versatile gift of the food world and can be transformed into a variety of tasty meals.

Having cancer is a lonely experience. It is the one time in your life that you cannot ask those closest to you, 'What should I do?' It's too heavy a burden to place on another person. This is your life, your decision, and cancer kills.

I am in control of how I age, and I am in control of my health.

I am not a doctor or a scientist, but merely a passionate layperson, a filter, a messenger. I spoke with so many patients who are living normal, happy, fulfilled lives, and their enthusiasm and great quality of life convinced me that you can indeed live with cancer.

I appreciate health care that gets to the root cause of our symptoms and promotes wellness, rather than the one-size-fits-all drug-based approach to treating disease. I love maintaining an optimal quality of life - naturally.

I balance my hormones with bioidentical hormones, I eat organic, I take supplements as determined by lab work, I sleep eight hours nightly, I use organic cosmetics and green household cleaners, and I avoid toxins as best I can.

I believe in using fresh, high quality from-the-earth ingredients and cooking methods that protect the natural goodness and nutrients of foods, while always maximizing flavor and taste.

I do yoga three times a week, and I walk for a half hour every day. In between, I get on the elliptical and my triple thigh trainer - I really do use the Thighmaster! - and do about 20 minutes on each of those. I also walk up and down the stairs a lot.

I have always loved food. I began cooking for my family as a young girl, and to this day, it's one of my greatest pleasures in life.

I sell my problems. I'm a woman with problems. I've had problems since the day I was born. And I have found a way to turn my problems into assets.

I started growing my own organic vegetables... and started a routine of generally going to bed at 9.30 to 10 o'clock every night and sleeping until 7 A.M. I take perfect care of my machine.

I stopped dieting on plain, boring, unsatisfying food and started eating rich, delicious meals full of flavor and, yes... fat. I got skinny on fat and realized I would never have to diet again.

I understood something way back when I was on 'Three's Company.' When I got the part, I was flat broke. I was so happy to get the part, but I kept thinking, 'Ugh - dumb blondes are so irritating; how do I make her likable?' I think that I achieved that. It took a while for people to realize I was acting.