Susan Lucci has found a welcome spot in America's living rooms for almost 40 years -- whether as Erica Kane on All My Children (she recently taped the show's 10,000th episode!), or as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. The typically slender star found an unexpected treat when she added the dance show to her hectic schedule. "I got to eat everything that wasn't nailed down," Susan exclaims as she recalls her dance partner's suggestion that she consume 3,000 calories a day to stay energized for both shows. "It was the best!"

She also had to get in shape for the competition, and Susan tells Rachael that there was only one exercise that helped prepare her enough for Dancing with the Stars. "Pilates in general is dancer's strength training," she says. "I was only doing it for cosmetic reasons, because you can sculpt long, lean muscles -- you don't bulk up. But I found out it gives you a lot of core strength." Susan even shows Rachael a few of her workout moves with a Malibu Pilates Chair, which she's been using for almost three years. "The greatest thing is that it introduces cardio to a traditional pilates workout," she explains, "so you are lengthening, toning, sculpting really long, sexy lean muscles, and you're also getting that cardio workout. So you're multi-tasking -- it's the best use of your time ... and you're getting more stamina so you can go on Dancing with the Stars!"