Gwyneth Paltrow opened up about her struggles to lose weight following the birth of her second child and the joy she felt after she shed the pounds.

Paltrow discussed the weight loss in an interview for the latest issue of Redbook magazine. She appears on the magazine's cover with her trainer, Tracy Anderson, the woman who helped Paltrow get back in shape after her pregnancy.

The Academy Award winning actress said losing the weight improved everything in her life.

"It did such wonders for my life, my confidence, my sex life, everything," she said.

Paltrow and her husband Chris Martin, the lead singer for Coldplay, welcomed their son Moses into the world in 2006, and Paltrow told Redbook that after the birth she faced difficulty losing the baby weight.

"With my daughter it had been easier, but this time, no matter what I did, I felt stuck. I couldn't shift the weight," she said. "But I met Tracy and she was this force from the second I met her. She pulled my pants off. I'll never forget it. She was like, 'Oh, my God, wow, I just am so surprised, because you look so good in clothes. I wasn't expecting this.' "

Paltrow turned 40 in September and during the Redbook interview she said she is incredibly happy and at peace with her age, thanks to her loving family.

"The morning of my 40th birthday, my children and husband woke me up with hugs and gifts, and I proceeded to have the best week of my life. I feel really happy being 40, now that I'm on the other side of it," she said. "There was definitely some uncomfortable anticipation. But I'm amazed at what I've been able to accomplish, that I've maintained my important relationships and have such incredible women friends, that I have two funny, beautiful children who can give me a real life.

"In a way, I feel like no one should make big life decisions until 40. It's when it all starts to settle and become clear."

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