Melissa Joan Hart Loses 40 Pounds With Nutrisystem

Melissa Joan Hart gained a reported 60 pounds during her 2012 pregnancy with third child, Tucker McFadden Wilkerson. However, Hart didn't panic. Instead, she took things slow, and with the help of Nutrisystem, lost 40 pounds.

After being named spokesperson for the brand in April of 2013, Hart quickly lost 20 pounds, which she credited, in part, to her hectic schedule of caring for her newborn and her two older sons, Mason, 8, and Brady, 5.

Now, after losing an additional 20 pounds, Hart has shot a new commercial for Nutrisystem, and in it, she is sporting a swimsuit.

"I felt prepared. I was confident," Hart revealed to Entertainment Tonight of the shoot. "I don't wear bikinis even when I go to the beach, so when I put it on in front of the cameras and all these people, and my husband [Mark Wilkerson] showed up -- it's nerve-wracking but the feeling is very satisfying."

Following her first pregnancy, which resulted in the 2006 birth of Mason Wilkerson, Hart felt pressure to lose her baby weight immediately, but with her most recent pregnancy, Hart opted to let things happen natural and enjoy the experiences that being a parent of a newborn entailed.

"For me, it was important to bond with my child, as opposed to 'lose the weight.' So I waited until I was ready, and I knew I had the time, and then I made it a priority that I would eat well," she said. " ... In the beginning, I felt an uncomfortable pressure that I rebelled against, but this third time, I had to go back on camera, I wanted to look great, so I focused on it once I knew I had the time in my schedule."

After Tucker's birth in Sept. 2012, Hart returned to work on the set of Melissa & Joey, on which she both stars and executive produces. The series premiered on ABC Family on August 17, 2010, and four years later, continues to be a hit for the network.

Although Hart hasn't lost all of her baby weight quite yet, she's feeling great with the progress she's making and looks forward to her future with Nutrisystem.

"I am really happy where I am. I could live like this," she added. "I'm on a good path -- I love where I'm at and I feel amazing."