Jamie-Lynn SiglerJamie-Lynn Sigler has revealed she shuns exercise regimes and eating rules to avoid slipping back into her old eating disorder patterns.

The former Sopranos star developed a problem during her first few years on the hit show but after admitting her problem and getting help, she is now a spokesperson for the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) and was honoured by the group this week for her work promoting the illness.

She told People magazine: “It’s hard for me to even recognize who I was. My reality was so warped. … I knew I had a problem and wanted to get better, but I was not able to let go of my habit.”

“I remember rationalizing that if I had that one piece of dessert, the next morning I would wake up and weigh 400 pounds. It sounds so wild, but for me it was true.”

“I knew every calorie that entered my body, and I tried to measure every calorie that I could burn. So for me, any sort of regimen, any sort of ritual or rule when it comes to dieting or exercising, is bad for me.”

But she doesn’t avoid exercise completely: “I have a wonderful friend who does yoga with me. When I go home to Long Island, my mom and I take the dog and go hiking. It’s nice to be outdoors.”