'Dancing' 's Kyle Massey Loses 8 Inches Off His Waistline

The Disney star has dropped the weight despite his refusal to give up pizza

Photo: Tiffany Rose/WireImage; Adam Larkey/ABC

The closer he gets to the Dancing with the Stars finale, the more Kyle Massey likes the slimmer physique he sees in the dance-studio mirror.

“It’s crazy to think you’re going to come into a competition like this and not lose weight with the hours you’re going to have to put in,” the Disney Channel star, 19, told PEOPLE backstage Tuesday night after Kurt Warner’s elimination. “I know I’m going to keep losing weight as long as I’m on this show.”

Massey has had the encouragement of his dancing partner Lacey Schwimmer since day one. “He’s lost eight inches!” she said of her ballroom buddy who has lost 18 pounds. “He’s really loving it. He looks in the mirror all the time.”

Adds Massey, “I’ve had at least three gallons of sweat on top of Lacey.”

Although he’s all for sweating off the pounds in the studio, Massey isn’t equally dedicated to dieting.

“He ate a whole pizza today,” Schwimmer said.

Owning up to his eating habits, Massey admitted, “Today’s pizza and football day.”