Cheryl Burke Opens Up About Weight Loss: "I'm Not Caving Into the Pressures of Hollywood"

Dancing With the Stars pro writes on Facebook that it's about being healthy, not trying to look a certain way

Having been on Dancing With the Stars for 17 seasons, Cheryl Burke has gotten used to having every step she takes judged by a panel of three.

But being judged constantly by thousands about her weight...that never gets any easier.

The two-time DWTS champ dropped 15 pounds this year after making some tweaks to her diet and non-dance workout routine, and she has taken the opportunity to open up about why she wanted to lose the weight.

In a Facebook post Friday, Burke started off by thanking fans for the kind words she has received in response to a recent People article about her weight loss that also featured a pic of the curvaceous 30-year-old in a teeny bikini.

"I've had a very public struggle with the press and their comments about my weight for a number of years now," Burke acknowledged in the post, "but I want to make it clear that this isn't about them. Yes, I have been hurt by their criticism, but I'm only human. This wasn't some drastic change I made overnight. I'm not caving in to the pressures of Hollywood, as some of you have expressed your concern that I might be, and I'm certainly not starving myself."

She told the mag that she was practicing portion control, not dieting per se but eating about half of what she would normally eat, and credited trainer Brendan Johnson with whipping her butt into better shape (figuratively and literally).

And now, Burke writes, she's "thriving."

"I'm putting healthy foods into my body and experiencing the benefits. I have tried so many fad diets, I've wasted so much time looking for a solution when it was right in front of me all along—take care of yourself, nourish your body, surround yourself with good people—you will feel good and will shine in all that you do," she advises.

"It's not about chasing a number on the scale, and it's not about Hollywood. We will all face criticism throughout our lives, no matter where we live and what we weigh. So if you're struggling with that, you're not alone. Not at all.

"My weight fluctuates, just like any other person's does, and there will always be critics. You've got to tune out the other people and tune in to what's going on inside. Love yourself. Nourish your body. Be kind to one another."

Now that's worth 10s across the board.