Mariah Carey, who frequently describes herself as "eternally 12," told Oprah Winfrey she can now wear her high school wardrobe.

"My jean size went down to my 10th grade size," the 38-year-old revealed Monday.

"I got tired to people telling me, 'You need to lose weight,'" she said. "It inspired me."

"For me, it's not about a number on a scale," she added. "It's not about necessarily even a size. It's about feeling good and being comfortable in your own skin. Right now, I feel really great. I feel better than I've ever felt."

With the help of a diet and nutrition guru, the singer has maintained a very strict diet that limits foods cooked in butter.

Her most coveted indulgence? Mac and cheese.

"It broke my heart... That's the thing that I have difficulty letting go of because that's comfort food," Carey said. "So basically I'm uncomfortable."

Carey – who just celebrated her 18th No. 1 single – has also credited her personal trainer for her new physique.

"I don't know why everyone thinks I lost 30 pounds," she told Allure. "This trainer has actually helped me reshape my arms. That's where I gained most of my weight: upper body. That's just one thing you have to lose weight for."



I wonder if she came on the org and saw everybody dogging her out about being what some people think as chunky? I will admit that she did look like she had a few cookies permanently stuck in her jaws, but everything else looked fine to me.

Mariah, you're not too fat, I'll love every inch of yaaa

She was never fat.

She was *this* close to being overweight and it seemed to be effecting her voice. Staying trim has helped her vocally. I didn't think she had a performance like that one on Idol Gives Back still in her.

Maybe she should focus on her brain cells.

Don't believe the hype, she had lipo.