Last October, Ricki Lake decided to make some much-needed lifestyle changes. “I made a commitment to myself to get healthier,” says the actress, who has struggled with her weight since childhood.

Now, four months later, Ricki’s lost over 30 pounds — and so has her husband, Ross. “[He] joined me in this effort,” says Ricki, 55. “I’m so proud of us.” While taking the weight-loss drug Ozempic has become a common practice in Hollywood, Ricki says she and Ross “did this without relying on a pharmaceutical … we wanted to at least try and do it on our own.”

In the past, Ricki says she shed unwanted pounds the wrong way. “I was starving myself. I was fainting,” she admits of dropping 100 pounds at age 24. “That was not healthy. It worked, it was effective, but it wasn’t the healthiest way to do it.” This time around, she’s eating right and taking daily hikes with Ross. “I feel amazing,” Ricki says. “I feel strong.”