Looking at Gemma Atkinson’s enviable size 10 figure, it’s hard to believe she once had body demons. And the 5ft 9 actress, who’s now 10st and is proud of her toned new physique, says that there’s no big secret behind it – it’s all thanks to a healthy lifestyle.
'I’m the happiest, most confident I’ve ever been. I’ve got so much energy.'
She says: “I’m the happiest, most confident I’ve ever been. I’ve got so much energy. I wake up feeling ready to go, rather than thinking, ‘I’m so tired, I can’t face anything!’”
That’s why Gemma, 28, wanted to help other women change their lives through healthy eating and fitness, and jumped at the chance to mentor our real-life dieters for our new Come Diet With Us series.
She reveals: “I’m looking forward to helping women feel and look their best – to boost someone’s confidence is brilliant. The important thing is to be strong and lean yet feminine, not too skinny or muscly. I don’t think it’s attractive.”
The actress, who stars in upcoming film The Dyatlov Pass Incident, may feel fantastic now, but it hasn’t always been this way. While she was sporty at school, she says she felt unhappy about her weight during her years on Hollyoaks, from the age of 14 to 20. She explains: “When I became an actress, my good intentions got sidelined. Hollyoaks was an amazing time in my life, but it was always someone’s birthday or we were out drinking, then eating McDonald’s to ease the hangover. Working long hours meant I was eating the wrong things at the wrong time. I was tired and my skin was spotty.”
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Like anyone who feels uncomfortable with how they look, Gemma admits she was depressed about her size. She says: “I went up to a size 12-14 and was about 10st, which is lighter than I am now, but it was fat rather than muscle.
"A size 12-14 isn’t big, but it was more about how I felt. I hated my legs, and I felt down about how I looked.”
A size 12-14 isn’t big, but it was more about how I felt. I hated my legs, and I felt down about how I looked.”
It was the healthy influence of her footballer ex Marcus Bent – who she split up with in 2008 – that helped her get back in shape. And her current boyfriend, martial arts instructor Liam Richards, 24, has encouraged her to keep up the good work.
She grins: “I got my fitness mojo back at 22 when I learnt about nutrition. Over the past six years I’ve completely changed my lifestyle. Liam and I train together and cook healthy meals, and I only drink alcohol on special occasions. His six-pack motivates me too!”
Gemma adds: “I know it’s difficult for women with children, as time is limited, but if you set aside just 20 minutes a day, you’ll reap the rewards. You’ll get fit and healthy, have more energy, your skin will improve, you’ll sleep better and feel more positive.”
The actress, who is currently filming Law & Order UK, admits her disciplined regime isn’t for everyone, but she likes to exercise for 45 minutes, six times a week, doing a mix of toning classes, kickboxing and interval training at home.
Wheat-intolerant Gemma has also studied nutrition, so she knows the right foods to eat to feel and look good.
On a typical day, she has smoked salmon with eggs (no bread) for breakfast, chicken with broccoli, asparagus, spinach and wholegrain rice for lunch, and dinner is fish with more veg. She snacks on nuts, bananas, carrots and houmous, or a boiled egg. But she does have a cheat meal (chips and cheese!) and a day off from workouts every Sunday.
Gemma realises it takes time to change bad habits, but insists that quick results will spur you on.
'There’s no point training your body until you’ve trained your mind'
She says: “Introduce exercise gradually, so your body gets used to it and you don’t scare yourself off, and, even though you may not see changes in your body for three weeks, you’ll feel great mentally within a week. A lot of people believe they can eat crap because they go to the gym, or they don’t eat as they want to look skinny. But in doing either, you’ll affect your energy levels and get mood swings.”
For Gemma, being healthy isn’t just about looking good, it’s an insurance policy for old age. She explains: “You’ll feel stronger, handle stress better, plus you’re giving yourself the chance of a longer life. Tell yourself it isn’t a diet, but a life-changing journey.
“There’s no point training your body until you’ve trained your mind. If you can get into a positive frame of mind you’ll be amazed by what you can achieve!”