Short on Food, Long on Exercise

So, Carmen Electra’s at Jerry’s Deli one evening, and about five guys asked if she knew that she looked like Carmen Electra. She told the guys she was Carmen Electra. They argued that she was not because Carmen’s tall.

We’re going to say this only once--the 25-year-old actress photographs tall. She’s short (her word, not ours)--5 feet, 4 inches. When you watch her as co-host on MTV’s “Singled Out,” she looks tall because of the camera. The same thing’s going to happen when she begins her Lani McKensie role on the syndicated “Baywatch” (beginning late September).

So what does the girl from Cincinnati do to stay at 108 pounds, size 2 to 4 dress?

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Electra sweats out an hourlong cardio-funk class at Martha Grimes Fitness Theater at Gold’s Gym Hollywood. Twice a week she goes right into a body-sculpting class with 15 minutes straight of sit-ups and then 45 minutes of stretching and light weights. Ideally she likes to squeeze in two dance classes a week, too--ballet and hip-hop. She drinks plenty of water during classes.

When Electra’s paying attention to her diet, it’s a bagel with nonfat cream cheese for breakfast, rice cakes for lunch, and a chicken breast with rice and steamed vegetables for dinner.

There are times, though, when she’ll indulge that craving for a sundae. Ice cream was an everyday thing in Ohio, Electra explained--ice cream and hot dogs. Then you’d wash it all down with soda. She amazed herself earlier this year when she knocked off a 24-pack of Pepsi in one day.

“Blame it on Ohio,” she said.

* Guest Workout runs Wednesdays in Life & Style.