DWTS’ Margaret Cho: I Went 40 Years Without Any Exercise

Comedian Margaret Cho hasn’t had a problem making other people laugh and feel positive, but now, at 41 years old, the Drop Dead Diva star is finally focused on making herself feel good. The funny-lady says all of the exercise she’s done in the short time she’s been on Dancing With the Stars has completely changed the way she feels about her body and herself. “I’ve never been so excited about something in my life,” Cho told PEOPLE backstage at Tuesday night’s DWTS elimination show. “I’m so into it. I’ve never worked out—never. Now that I’ve been moving, I realize how good it feels.” Cho, who says she isn’t using a scale to measure her progress, already notices dramatic physical differences. “I can see it in my face,” she says. “I can feel it in my whole body. I have lost a lot of weight. It’s the first time I’ve ever been there, and I feel great about it.” Cho promises her new healthy lifestyle is permanent and not just for DWTS. “I’ve really made a commitment to [my partner] Louis [van Amstel],” she says. “I told him after this, I’m staying physically active. I’ve never been physically active in my life, and I know that Louis has added years to my life, and this is a really important thing. I want to stay in my body, I want to stay in my skin.” –Dahvi Shira