Kristy Swanson jumps to her own defense
and says “I’m not a homewrecker”

Kristy Swanson has defined the past 18 months of her life as "stressful."

View Photos [53]
View Profile

No kidding: Firstly, there was her scandalous romance with her Skating with Celebrities partner, Lloyd Eisler, which began when his then-wife, Marcia O'Brien, was eight months pregnant.

Following which, four months later Swanson and Eisler welcomed a son, Magnus, Swanson was arrested for allegedly assaulting O'Brien during a visit with Eisler to his sons Ethan, 3, and Seth, 18 months. (Swanson filed a counter-assault claim.)

In the new issue of PEOPLE, Swanson, 37, reveals her side of the story, and comes clean about the other source of stress in her life: her weight.

Some highlights:

On her romance with Eisler: "I'm not a homewrecker," Swanson says. "Lloyd and Marcia were separated before I ever met him; I did not break up the marriage." Adds Eisler, 44: "After the show was over it hit me, 'Wow, that person had a drastic effect on me!' Changes had to be made – and I chose to make them."

On her arrest: "She attacked me, and I am confident that after the investigation is complete, the truth will come out," says Swanson. Police have yet to charge O'Brien, who tells PEOPLE, "Her allegations that I attacked her are completely false."

On her weight gain: At the beginning of her relationship with Eisler, "I stopped skating and we were eating all of these wonderful antipasti with cheese and crackers," says Swanson, who's now down to 155 lbs. She desperately intends to lose 30 more, so she's signed a six-month, six-figure ad-campaign deal with Medifast. "I know the longer I wait," she says, "the harder it will be."