Josie Gibson has lost a staggering 6st and, as our exclusive naked shoot shows, she looks amazing!
Her body transformation has taken six months of dedication, hard work and regimented exercise – but she says it’s been worth every drop of sweat.
Josie reveals: “I feel so good. My life has just started now I’ve lost the weight”
The fact I’ve got there is like winning the lottery.” Josie, who’s 5ft 10, followed a 1,250 calorie-a-day high-protein, low-fat diet. She also worked out for 20 minutes every day with personal trainer James Stark. He developed a fitness system based on interval training for Josie’s new 30 Second Slim DVD, where you exercise intensively for 30 seconds, then take a breather.
The intensity means you burn more calories – and continue to do so long after your workout.
Yo-yo dieter Josie decided to get fit after seeing an unflattering photo of herself in a pink bikini in Ibiza in May.
“I used to give my body 0 out of 10. I don’t want to be big-headed, but I’ve worked hard, so now I’d give myself a 9!” she says. “I’m no longer afraid to walk around naked!”
“I never want to go back to being that big again, as I feel so confident now,” she says.
Josie says her weight spiralled out of control because she ate too much of the wrong foods – mainly curries, sweets and red wine.
She was a size 14 when she went into the BB house in June 2010, but admits during her time there she gained 2st “sitting around eating,” and was a 16-18 when she show finished that August. In December 2011, she hired a trainer, overhauled her diet and lost 3st.
But, by last May, she’d gained 4st after breaking her ankle left her unable to exercise, taking her up to a size 20 and 16st.
Typically, Josie would have a fry-up for breakfast, pizza and ice cream for lunch, curry for dinner and fatty snacks in between.
She says even when she used to follow a healthy diet and exercise plan, she’d often sabotage it after a boozy night out.
She admits: “My worst habit was eating junk food after drinking – I literally hoovered up carbs! Now I look for healthy food swaps.” As she recalls her darkest days, Josie, who is engaged to plumber Luke Sanwo, 26, reveals she considered starving herself to lose weight.
“I’d wake up and think, ‘I’m not going to eat all day,’ which is not the way to do it. You start feeling desperate,” she says. “I realise now that I was depressed about my weight for years. I’d cry after going clothes shopping.”
It’s taken her 27 years, but Josie says she’s finally overcome her demons. She thinks it’s worked this time because rather than going on a crash diet, she has changed her eating habits – it’s more about a lifestyle overhaul than depriving herself. She has also found an exercise plan that works for her.
She says: “I hate the gym and slogging it out for hours on a treadmill, so working out for 20 minutes a day in short bursts suits me. It works you so much harder too, so you spend less time sweating it out. When you’re overweight, it pulls you down. Now I feel stronger, both physically and mentally.”
Josie has also lost an incredible nine inches from her waist and gone from a shoe size 7 to a 6. Her weight loss has even brought her and Luke closer together.
She says: “He loves my new body – especially my bum and boobs! My favourite part is my waist. I didn’t realise how small it’d go. My friends and family can’t believe how much I’ve changed.”
And Josie now loves shopping for clothes.
She says: “It’s the best feeling walking into a shop knowing you can fit into everything. I’ve bought a pair of leather trousers and I can walk in heels now, too. Although, sometimes, I still pick up size 20s, as my head hasn’t quite caught up with the change in my body. It’s been hard work, but it’s been so worth it.”
Next on her list? There’s a wedding in the pipeline, but not yet. She says: “I’ve been so busy. We’re renovating our house and I’ve been starring in panto, so there’s no rush. But I’d love a funky festival-style wedding!”
She may have overhauled her diet, but Josie stills treats herself. “When I hit my target weight, I celebrated with champagne and hired a chocolate fountain!” she says. “I don’t want to deprive myself. I still enjoy a drink – just better options like vodka, lime and soda.”
She says: “Before, I’d eat a big curry with poppodoms, naan and rice. Now I make a curry with tomato sauce instead of cream and skip side dishes. I’ve taught myself to eat mindfully. Your body’s like a motor – you need to feed it properly to make it work. The only way I’d gain weight again would be if I got pregnant! But I’m not ready for kids just yet.”
So, what’s Josie’s advice for anyone wanting to follow in her footsteps?
She says: “You don’t have to go to a gym and feel embarrassed about your size. Do my DVD with friends, follow my meal plan [online, see below right] and take one day at a time. I couldn’t do any of the exercises when I started, but you’ll soon get fitter and feel better. When you see results, you’ll want to carry on. If I can do it, anyone can.”