As she bursts out of a cloth cocoon, a long-haired beauty reveals her shapely legs, toned arms and perfectly flat stomach.It's not until the camera pans out that she's revealed as Mariah Carey – the woman who has shed an incredible 70lbs since welcoming twins six months ago.
Mariah proudly shows off her fabulous new figure in an advertisement for the Jenny Plan, the program she used to help her shed her post pregnancy weightThe results of all her hard work can clearly be seen as the superstar gyrates her way through the ad dressed in a bandeau top and long skirt slashed at the side.And it was a similar story when the 42-year-old stepped out in a figure-hugging long red dress at an event to officially launch her as the new Jenny ambassador.Mariah gave fans the first glimpse of her post-pregnancy figure this week when she went on Rosie O'Donnell's chat show.The star, who welcomed babies Morrocan and Monroe on her April 30 third wedding anniversary with Nick Cannon, says she was fearful life would never be the same again after becoming so much heavier. "I gained an enormous amount of weight. I was scared I was never going to walk again,"She told US Magazine "I feel incredible but it was a long road.""Being pregnant felt longer than it was. It was a huge blessing to be able to have the babies but I felt trapped in my body because I couldn't move."
Mariah – who welcomed the new arrivals by Caesarean – had to wait six weeks to start on her exercise and diet programme, however. "At the beginning, I was breast feeding, so I had to eat more than I normally would. It was frustrating," she said.
Once she got started, the diva began with a 1500 calorie a day menu accompanied by workouts three times a week. "When I started, I got really strict with myself," she says. "Losing weight is about eating what you like, just in the appropriate portion sizes. I wouldn't say it was really hard, but it required focus and determination. "What kick started Mariah's weight loss journey was seeing a photo of herself shortly not long after being visited by friend Reverend Al Sharpton in hospital. "I looked at myself in the photo after and thought, 'Who on earth is that?' Mind you, I thought I looked good at the time!" She remembers.
Now the singer works out for 45 minutes five to six times a week, doing cardio and aquatic workouts, and gives herself a day off on Sundays. "Even thought my weight loss was mainly from dieting, I'm never going to stop working out. It releases stress," says the star.