Oprah ditching the chips, hitting the gym

CHICAGO, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Oprah Winfrey said on her U.S. talk show this week that eating well and exercising will be high on her list of priorities in the new year.

Winfrey, who admits she has gained 40 pounds since 2005, said on Monday's show her busy schedule left her unable to sleep and experiencing heart palpitations. She also confided to her audience she had "given up" on herself and realized her life was out of balance, the Chicago Sun-Times said.

Winfrey adviser and fitness expert Bob Greene said he told the media giant last year he thought she was mildly depressed.

"I felt she was losing her zest for life," the Sun-Times quoted Greene as saying.

"When my engine runs down, my drug of choice is food. This year, it was organic multigrain blue chips ... but a bag of them," Winfrey said. "So, you eat a bag of those a day, and see what happens if you're not working out."

Winfrey said she plans to change all that this year.

"When you love yourself enough, you take care of yourself. You have to make yourself a priority," she said.

In addition to cutting out the foods she shouldn't be eating in favor of salads, tuna and grilled chicken, Winfrey said she plans to hit Chicago's East Bank Club gym to do 30 minutes daily on the elliptical machine and resistance training six days a week.