After admitting she used to give her body “0 out of 10,” Josie Gibson says reaching a size 8 and losing a staggering 6st has given her new-found confidence – and sent her sex life soaring to boot!
The 28-year-old Big Brother star couldn’t be prouder of her achievement and happily strips off for Closer’s exclusive lingerie photo shoot to reveal just how much her body has changed in the past seven months.
'I never would have done a lingerie shoot before'
“I never would have done a lingerie shoot before – so this is a first for me,” gushes Josie, who’s gone from 16st and a size 20 at her heaviest to 10st 2lbs and a size 8.
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And the 5ft 10 star, who’s been engaged to plumber Luke Sanwo, 26, for a year, reveals that her weight loss has had an unexpected bonus. She says: “I’m much happier, and I’ve got loads more energy – I’m like a new woman in the bedroom now I’m slim and our sex life is sizzling. Luke loves my new body and seeing his reaction to me makes me feel more confident in front of him.
'My man can pick me up and throw me around a bit in bed'
“I feel so much more sexually confident too and now I can be a bit more adventurous – my man can pick me up and throw me around a bit in bed! Let’s just say there’s no need to have sex with the lights off any more!”
She adds: “I’ve never felt better about myself. Sometimes, I get a bit big-headed. Luke will say: ‘Jose, we’ve got a lodger – put some clothes on!’ but it’s an old school friend staying with us, so I forget myself when I’m walking around the house naked!”
Josie, who followed a high-protein, low-carb diet and worked out daily for 20 minutes with personal trainer James Stark to shape up, has dropped another dress size since Christmas. And although she’s known for her yo-yoing tendencies, she insists her hot body’s for keeps this time.
She says: “I’ve stuck to my healthy eating and exercise regime and gone down to a size 8 since Christmas – although I’ve gained 2lbs in muscle! My waist, which has gone from 35 to 26 inches, is my favourite part of my body.
“I used to crave junk, but I just went cold turkey and, once I started losing weight, it was easier to resist as I didn’t want to undo all my hard work. I’m still training three times a week when I can, but I’ve relaxed my diet, so I’ll have the odd glass or two of champagne, or a sauce with my dinner.
“I don’t find it hard to maintain because it’s not a ‘diet’ – that word is so negative. Eating healthily and exercising is now just part of my lifestyle. It’s also helped me sleep better, and the feel-good endorphins from working out are great. I don’t put myself down any more – I have a positive can-do attitude.”
Typically, Josie has a smoked salmon and spring onion omelette for breakfast, anchovies and herb salad for lunch, and a spicy chicken breast with salad for dinner. And she’s swapped sugary snacks for blueberries and nuts. Check out her full diet plan here.
She says: “I was always really depressed about my weight, but now I feel like I can do anything. I put my all into losing weight this time and it wasn’t a quick fix, so that’s why it worked and I can keep it up. Now I love cooking and so does Luke. He thinks he’s Gordon Ramsay! He’s even gone from 14st to 12st [he’s 6ft 5] by eating with me and following my DVD three times a week.”
And Josie says they can’t wait to show off their new figures during a break to Morocco for Valentine’s Day – and reveals she’s been stocking up on sexy lingerie for the trip.
The star, who says she looked “like a beast” when she was snapped in a bikini at a size 20 last May, says: “When I was bigger, I didn’t want to go on holiday because I hated how I looked. Before, I’d leap out of the pool and quickly cover up if other people were around – I don’t do that any more.
“Luke loves my bum, but it has shrunk so much that, when he grabs it, he jokes: ‘Where’s the meat gone?’ Losing weight has been really good for our relationship. And getting fit has given us a hobby to do together.”
But despite being loved-up, Josie hasn’t had a chance to plan her wedding. She says: “I can’t wait to marry Luke, but I’ve been so busy, I haven’t even thought about picking a dress or a venue. Maybe later on in the year!”
Her fitness DVD 30 Second Slim beat Davina McCall’s Intense to the No1 slot in the charts in January, and now she’s about to launch her first clothing range with Goddiva.
'I just wish I'd lost weight sooner so I could have enjoyed my 20's more'
“I can’t believe my DVD is more popular than Davina’s,” says Josie who met the presenter on Big Brother in 2010. Josie, who says she’s lost touch with her but is still a huge fan, adds: “I adore Davina and everything she does! I’d love to bring out more DVDs and a fitness range like she has. I just wish I’d lost weight sooner so I could have enjoyed my 20s more. I can’t believe how good life is now.
“I’m much more sociable now and enjoy going out, although I don’t need to drink to have a good time. If I do have anything, I’ll stick to a couple of glasses of champagne – it’s my new favourite low-cal drink!”
Josie’s weight loss has been an inspiration to many, and her Twitter page is full of comments from women who’ve lost weight using her DVD. She says: “I’ve also had a few celebrities email me to tell me they’re following my DVD too, but I don’t want to name them in case it embarrasses them!”
Josie admits the only downside of losing weight is that her boobs have shrunk, so she’s considering surgery to get them up to a C-cup. Josie, who is currently a 32B, jokes: “I went to the Natural History Museum and there was a model of a Neanderthal woman there who had saggy boobs like mine. I don’t want to go back to what I was – a 40D – I just want them to look rounder. Being in proportion again will be the icing on the cake to my new look!”