Kirstie Alley Explains 'Circus Fat' Comment for Jenny Craig Ad

April 8, 2014 — -- Kirstie Alley wants to be clear -- "Circus fat" is how she sees herself, not other Jenny Craig members.

In a recent advertisement for Jenny Craig, Alley said, "I'm not like circus fat, I just want to lose 20 pounds."

Then she whispers she actually wants to lose 30 pounds.

Twitter users lashed back after the comments aired, calling the phrase "demeaning" and "offensive."

Alley explained her use of the wording to Diets in Review, saying "That's how I see me" -- not the other members who might be offended by the comment.

"I grew up [in Kansas] in a generation of not overweight people. ... I grew up in an era where my dad took me to the Kansas State Fair or the circus -- they had actual fat ladies in the circus," she told the site.

She added that she's always made fun of her own weight.

This will be Alley's second stint with Jenny Craig after she resigned as one of the spokeswomen six years ago after losing 75 pounds with the weight loss company.