It’s hard to believe that it has been a whopping 23 years since Debbie Gibson ruled the music charts as a teenage pop princess. After all, with her 40th birthday just around the corner, the star looks hotter than she ever has. And, having recently lost almost 20 pounds thanks to a diet devised by her boyfriend, Dr. Rutledge Taylor, she’s in better shape than many women half her age. “I finally feel like my true self, physically and emotionally,” Debbie tells In Touch. “Everything is in balance. And I feel better naked than I ever have!”

ITW: You look fantastic! But you never appeared to be particularly overweight.

DG: I was always so active, especially when I was busy performing on Broadway. I could eat macaroni and cheese during every intermission, and I wouldn’t gain weight. But my metabolism has definitely slowed down, so some weight came on really fast.

ITW: So why did you want to lose weight?

DG: I was hiding it really well, but I was a good 15 pounds heavier than I wanted to be. People should focus on good health first and foremost, but I realized that I feel best when I’m at my leanest, and I wanted to get a grip on this when I was only a little overweight, as opposed to letting it get away from me. So, I decided to try my boyfriend’s [Dr. Taylor] program, which is called Better Than Lipo.

ITW: How much do you weigh now?

DG: I’m at 114 pounds. I was okay at my previous weight, but I felt like my inner diva did not match my outer diva.

ITW: And how do you feel?

DG: I feel hotter and more in control. It’s even improved my sex life. You shouldn’t get your whole self-worth from how you look, but at 39, I think it’s okay to focus on the outside a bit if it makes you feel good.

Source, Photo Credit: STEPHEN DANELIAN/ IN TOUCH WEEKLY