Kathy Ireland’s Shocking Weight Gain – And Loss!

Kathy Ireland is no stranger to looking fabulous and being healthy.  However, like many of us tend to do sometimes, she stopped taking time for herself and started neglecting her healthy eating habits and regular workouts.  The result was a weight gain of 25 pounds for the former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model!

Kathy says she shocked when she looked at a photo taken by her son at their home in Santa Barbara.

“He said ‘Mom, you look pregnant,’ ” Ireland tells PEOPLE in its latest issue. “I didn’t recognize the person I saw. I saw someone who looked overwhelmed, overstressed, overweight, over-everything.”

Because she knows all too well how many mothers and women, in general, tend to put everybody else’s needs before their own, Kathy has written a new book titled, Real Solutions for Busy Moms. The 46 year-old mother of three says,

“I was not making enough time to take care of me.”

To get back on track, the supermodel enlisted the help of a friend, who happens to be a personal trainer and nutritionist – lucky girl!  She’s been making healthier food choices, cutting down on snacking and desserts, and exercises three times a week.  She now says she’s almost back to where she feels her best.

So, does this mean Kathy will pull a Valerie Bertinelli and pose for the cover of PEOPLE in her bikini?  Well, not exactly.  She says,

“No, that’s not my goal.  I want to be healthy, to be there for my husband and my kids.”