Although ALL MY CHILDREN’s Terri Ivens (Simone) says that she’s been thin for most of her life, she admits that there was a period of time that she wasn’t. "In college, many young women gain what’s called ‘the freshman 10,’" explains the petite brunette. "Well, I gained the ‘the freshman 25.’ When you’re that age, your metabolism slows down. You can’t be eating Suzy Q’s and drinking chocolate milk for lunch every day."
Also during that period, Ivens began auditioning in Los Angeles. But she was about to get hit with some harsh criticism. "I had an agent that told me, ‘Don’t wear those pants when you go in [for a role],’" she relates, shaking her head at the memory. "They can be ruthless. They’ll give you a complex if you allow them to. But unfortunately, you have to look a certain way as a female [in show business]."
"I Was So Displeased"
Recognizing that she needed to lose weight to fit the Hollywood mold, Ivens decided that she was going to do so — but on her terms. "I went before the mirror while wearing only my skivvies," she recalls. "In all honestly, I was so displeased with myself that I said, ‘Okay, God, if you make me look [the way I want to look], then I’ll concentrate on making my inside beautiful.’"
Although she laughs at the memory of trying to make a "deal" with the man upstairs, Ivens grows sober when she explains why she did so. "I was at such a place in my life that it needed to happen," she says. "I was 19 years old and living alone in L.A. I needed to have some foundation around me, and God was that for me."
"I Didn’t Starve Myself"
By finding solace in her faith, the actress soon found the pounds dropping. "Within a month or two, I became disciplined in not caring how I looked because the center of my attention was on who I was becoming [as a person]. I started eating only half of what was on my plate. I took my three meals a day and made them into six meals. My metabolism was constantly functioning and that’s how I lost weight. I didn’t starve myself because that’s when your body turns into fat. The more often you eat in smaller increments, the better it is for you. That’s one lesson I learned, and slowly but surely, I took control of my weight."
Of course, there is the issue of not eating enough, something that Ivens confesses she accidentally fell prey to along the way. "When I reached my lowest weight ever, my family became incredibly worried about me. I knew then that I had to start eating a little heartier and include a lot more protein, not just vegetables," she remembers, "and I realized that it was okay for me to have a piece of bread."
"It’s A Way Of Life"
In addition, Ivens discovered that allowing herself a splurge once in awhile is all right. Aside from a cookie or "big piece of cake," she also has a fondness for See’s candy. "Oh, it’s just decadent!" she enthuses of the Godiva-like treat. "I can have one piece and have my sweet tooth totally satisfied."
When all is said and done, Ivens says that what she learned most about fighting the battle of the bulge was this: "A diet is not something you go on for three weeks. It’s a way of life. But," she adds, "I think it’s important that as a culture of very smart women, we make sure that we don’t get too thin, and just be healthy."
— Colleen Humes
Terri Ivens
