What's Her Secret? Aretha Franklin Drops Some Pounds, But How Did She Do it?

These days it seems as though First Lady Michelle Obama's message of living a healthier life is getting through to Hollywood as well, at least for some. For the past year or so, friends of the legendary soulstress "The Queen Of Soul" Aretha Franklin, were worried about her health and reportedly urged the singer to get her weight under control. Many blamed her choice of Transportation on her ballooning weight due to the fact that Ms. Franklin doesn't really do planes. She travels across the country via a tricked out bus so she spend a great deal of time lounging.  Well it looks like the singer has finally taken action against her weight and knocked off some pounds.  Has she been hitting the gym and watching what she eats? Or is it a man? It could be all the above. She shocked many when she showed up at the recent Apollo Theater Benefit Concert & Awards Ceremony looking smaller than the Aretha from earlier this year.  See the photo comparison after the jump.