SHRINKING DIVAS

Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson slim down!

Whether it’s diamonds, designer duds or tasty treats, Mariah Carey has never been one to deprive herself of the things she loves. But when the extra pounds she’d packed on made it difficult to perform onstage, the 49-year-old superstar knew she needed to make a few lifestyle adjustments. “She’s cut out bread and butter, creamy pastas and the sugary cocktails she vowed she’d never give up,” says an insider. “She hated jokes about her backup dancers struggling to lift her. She was not happy.” Since last year, the 5-foot-9 singer has dropped from 185 pounds to 135, estimates nutrition expert Dr. Fred Pescatore, who doesn’t treat Mariah. Though she hasn’t addressed reports she underwent gastric sleeve surgery last year, Mariah has been eating smaller portions and leaning on “nutrient-filled juices,” the insider says. Now Mariah, who begins a summer residency in Las Vegas on July 5, “can’t wait,” says the insider, “to be onstage again.”