As a Jenny Craig spokesperson, actress Sara Rue knows all about trying to lose weight in front of the public eye. As a bride-to-be, she knows there's added pressure to look good on your wedding day.

"You've got a goal in sight. You've got a date," Rue says, with the date for her own May nuptials fast approaching. "You have an idea of how you want to look on your wedding day ... It's a pretty powerful motivator."

Which makes her the perfect host for 'Shedding for the Wedding' (premieres Wednesday, Feb. 23, 9PM ET on The CW), a new reality weight-loss show that helps engaged couples get healthy together. But unlike some other weight-loss series, this show focuses on more than competition.

"It's not just about losing weight. It's about these couples coming together and sort of bonding and becoming even closer before their weddings," she explains.



I caught up with Rue to hear all about her new show, what attracted her to the job and the biggest difference between her weight-loss journey and the journeys of the 'Shedding' contestants. "I didn't have cameras in my face all the time, and I didn't have trainers screaming at me and challenges ... So in a way, they had it rougher than I did."

Rue even admitted that the weigh-ins might be the hardest thing of all -- a sentiment most women can understand: "I couldn't do that. I couldn't get on a scale publicly in front of people and take my shirt off and stand there in my sports bra."

They've shot enough episodes that Rue knows which couples made it to the end, but with the contestants now continuing their healthy lifestyles at home until the finale, she still doesn't know who will win. But she does promise viewers "some seriously cool transformations."

So, smart idea for a series, or are you over weight-loss reality shows? Sound off in the comments.


Follow Maggie on Twitter @TheTVShowGirl.