Gina Neely is 25 pounds lighter – down to 123 lbs. – thanks to a healthy new lifestyle. DivaGals spoke with the Food Network star and chef to get her weight lost secrets!

Why did you decide to get healthy and lose the weight?

Honey, we’re always trying to achieve to be better. I’ll be 48 this year, getting close to that big 50, and I just wanted to look better and feel better, inside out. I really just wanted to make a change. In my family, we have a history of high pressure, and I didn’t want to deal with those things when I hit 50. Then I got approached by George Foreman, and they kind of went hand-in-hand. Now I feel amazing, and I can’t believe how much energy I have.

Tell me about your 12-week George Foreman challenge?

On the George Foreman grill, all the meals are 500 calories or less. They break everything down: breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it’s all in a book, so you don’t have to eat the same thing every day. What I want people to really understand, like I had already been eating salmon. The George Foreman grill just added more flavor to it for me. I didn’t have to count calories, I can throw it it was so easy.

Did you create any of your own recipes for the grill?

I created 15! The grilled fish tacos are really good. I use halibut because it’s a meatier fish. Sprinkle with some smoked paprika, kosher salt, ground peeper and cumin, add some lime and of course your corn tortillas and some iceberg lettuce. It’s very easy, quick and healthy. When you eat it, you don’t feel weighted down.

What are some of your favorite exercises?

I have a bridge near my house, so I’ll run the bridge once or twice. I’ve been walking with my girls. With that combination, you can achieve it.

When you lose weight, you’re body changes. What’s the first piece of new clothing you bought?

It was a bra! I was a 36DD. I’m now a 34C. I was glad to get rid some of those, girl. I was always very conscience of my arms, I’m wearing my arms out now.

Any other dieting tips?

I drink lots of water. I still have my cheat days. I’ll still have a glass of champagne, but for me that’s like, heaven. And I spend my cheat days on chocolate!

Has life changed for your family?

My girls have started to work out and they are eat with me. My daughter said to me the other day, “there’s no junk food in the house,” and I said, “I know…” I didn’t ask them to do it. They were just tasting the things I was making and they liked it. Pat has lost 20 lbs. as well.

What’s next for the Neelys?

We’re shooting pictures for our third book, and I’m sure we’ll look completely different. You know, people can’t believe the weight loss. They I think I’ve had a gastric bypass. I tell them to get a George Foreman grill and get in a little exercise, and you too can look like this. It’s my LA body!

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Our Image Gal Samantha von Sperling is training for the 2013 Wall Street Run & Heart Walk presented by NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City on May 30! Follow her over the next four weeks as she runs for an amazing cause!

I’m a former pro athlete, a dancer, with a family history that was not in my favor, so having two blocked arteries was a total surprise. Genetics — and too much stress — was a recipe for disaster! Because I’m young, fit and female, the damage went almost undetected and misdiagnosed till it was almost too late!

Luckily, that wasn’t the case. Last year I got three stents in my chest — and a new lease on life for my birthday. Heart problems can happen to anyone–even women in their late thirties! That’s why I’m running. You can support me on my donation page and help raise awareness.

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I was doing so good on my mission to get a ripped body in 28 days with the help of celebrity trainer Robert Brace and his 28-Day Fast and Fierce Challenge DVD series.

And then it happened. I went to a conference over the weekend and bad food lurked in every corner.

I thought I’d get right back on on the wagon, but then spring allergies got the best of me. I was too tired to work out, much less watch what I eat. How would I ever get back on track?

I turned to Robert for some advice.

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TV DivaGal is on a mission – to get a ripped body in 28 days with the help of celebrity trainer Robert Brace and his 28-Day Fast and Fierce Challenge DVD series.

I’ve been on my program for just over a week. The workouts are challenging, and I’m fitting in extra cardio whenever I can. I pulled on a pair of snug jeans late last week, and they fit! So yep, it’s working.

Robert has a suggested diet plan to follow while on the program. It consists of three meals and two snacks, mainly consisting of lean protein – think chicken, turkey and fish, and fruits and vegetables – lots of spinach, asparagus and berries. When I asked Robert where does wine fit in, his answer was, “It doesn’t.” Oh, damn.

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Working up a sweat in Pilates and yoga has always been a hard sell to us.

But we changed our minds after stretching and sweating it out at the Nectresse Naturally Sweet Workout with celebrity trainer Kristin McGee at Exhale Sap inside the Gansevoort Park Hotel.

Kristin, a cute, bubbly blonde with sculpted legs and killer abs put us through our paces, doing a strenuous combination of core, Pilates and yoga moves: roll-ups, scissors, planks and her personal favorite, Chataranga.

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Having a hot body is all about exercise, eating right and yes, getting enough sleep.

Adults, on average, need 7 to 9 hours of shut eye. While you’re resting, you’re improving your memory and cognitive skills, putting your satiety hormone on check so you don’t overeat, making your skin fabulous and getting your whole body ready for your major workout the next day.

But you can’t get a great night’s sleep if you resting space doesn’t make you want to hit the sheets. That’s why the Fitness Divas have rounded up some helpful hints for you to create a sleep sanctuary!

Make your bed an inviting haven. Stock up on luxurious and beautiful sheets that make you want to climb in bed. We love Sleep|Studio’s Cotton Sateen Bedding. The 500-thread count Egyptian cotton is made in Italy, and comes in white or ivory with a double shadow stitch. So comfy!

Smell yourself to sleep. HGTV star Taniya Nayak teamed up with Downy to tuck in NYC and show how a great smell can make your place so much more inviting Making up your bed with sheets washed in Downy Infusions Lavender Serenity and Downy Unstopables Lush in-wash scent booster leaves a long-lasting scent that can lull even the biggest insomniac to la-la land.

Even when you’re away from home, snooze like a rock star. Slip a Smartsilk pillow protector over your hotel pillows to shield yourself allergens, dust mites and pet dander. The Smartsilk pillow protector has been certified asthma and allergy friendly, so you’ll wake up refreshed to hit your vacation destination!

Get your workout on when you’re wake. You’ve gotten a great night of sleep, now start your day off right by getting your sweat on. Try for at least 30 minutes of cardio conditioning first thing in the morning. A combination of weights and plyometrics will get your heart pounding, your muscles conditioned and your mind feeling fantastic. Pop in celebrity trainer Robert Braces’ 28 Day Challenge DVD set. Trust us, you’ll need your sleep after trying it!

photo credit: Filomena-Scalise/FDP.net, Amanne Media Group, Robert Brace, Smartsilk

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