QUEEN LATIFAH is the latest celebrity to join the Jenny Craig crew, following in the footsteps of VALERIE BERTINELLI and KIRSTIE ALLEY, who both successfully shed pounds using the weight-loss program.

At a press conference in Beverly Hills this morning, Latifah indicated that she is still comfortable with her full figure. Truth be told, her goal is to only shed 15 pounds in order to get healthier.

"Losing five or 10 percent of my body weight, that is a challenge for me to become healthier, and not be concerned about a stroke, diabetes, liver function, or kidney function," the 'Mad Money' star explains. "These are real things in America, particularly in the black community. One of my cousins [lost] some weight and the symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes went away."

Latifah says her confidence has made her a role model for others, and she wants to continue being an inspiration.

"All the time people come up to me and thank me for the fact that by being who I am, they feel confident in who they are," she says. "If I can set the example for confidence from the inside; why not set it for the outside as well."