NeNe Leakes is in the midst of an impressive slim down! The Real Housewives of Atlanta star recently revealed she’s lost 12 pounds thanks to a series of changes to her diet, and she’s not done shedding the weight just yet.
“I really want to lose 20 pounds,” the 51-year-old told HollywoodLife earlier this month, noting that the weight loss she’s experienced thus far has meant she’s already gone down a dress size.
Still, the reality star says that because of her height (she’s nearly 5’11”) the dozen pounds she’s shed recently doesn’t look like much. As she put it: “I can carry my weight a lot different than somebody who’s shorter than me, so me losing 12 pounds makes me feel like I’ve lost, like, five.”
As for how she’s managed to slim down so far, NeNe credits her husband, Gregg Leakes, and a series of small yet impactful changes she’s made to her eating regimen — including giving up meat. “We’ve really been trying to do better and eat better and eliminate the junk,” the Bravo personality explained. “I’m not doing anything crazy like doing the elliptical or riding the bike or running.”
Added the former Glee star: “I started being a pescatarian and he was plant-based, so I started there. It did help me and I felt different.”
Since NeNe says she’s not a “big eater,” she used that trait to her advantage. In fact, instead of punctuating the day with a handful of big meals, NeNe prefers to eat several smaller meals. “What I started to do was just have small portions. I feel like I eat about four times a day – four, sometimes five – just nibbling on stuff and I feel really satisfied.”
And even though NeNe knows she has a weakness for snacking, she’s found a way around that habit too. “If I want it so bad, I could eat a little bit and then throw it in the trash can,” she explained. “I always say to myself, ‘I’m not going through the trash can to get it out and eat it,’ so I’d bite it and then I’d throw it in the trash.”
Apparently, that tactic allows NeNe to satisfy herself “a little bit” without going overboard and potentially overeating.
While some people might be content with a 12-pound weight loss, NeNe, who said she can’t recall a time when she wore a size 8, has vowed to keep going. “I would love to be an 8,” she declared. “My birthday is December 13. Every year around my birthday I always want to be something. I want to be thin or smaller.”
The I Dream of NeNe alum’s slimming figure comes as she’s shooting season 12 of RHOA. Despite earlier reports suggesting the OG housewife was forced to sit out a chunk of filming after she violently ripped a cameraman’s shirt during last season’s run, a rep for the reality star denied that was the case.
“I can say with authority that there is absolutely no truth to this,” the rep told Us Weekly in June. “The only reason why she’s not currently shooting is because she is still in active negotiations with her contract.”
