Carol Vorderman, 48, on how she stays slim (with the help of her green satin trousers), and being happy in her own skin
I put on about 10lbs during all the Countdown stuff. [Carol left Countdown in 2008 over a row about pay.] It was very personal and very vicious. I wasn’t sleeping at all because I was so stressed. When I’m stressed, that’s when my weight fluctuates.
The gym is not a natural place for me to be. I’ve been through periods occasionally when I start going for a year here and there, but it goes in cycles.
I had a personal trainer. I called her Cruella, but it is easier to stay on track when you’ve got someone else there. Trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle can be a lonely business. You don’t have to pay a trainer, but I think if you get together with someone else you’re far more likely to stay the course.
You have to work at being healthy. In your 20s you think you’re immortal – in your 40s you start to realise the effects. I’m supporting a campaign by Lloyd’s Pharmacy – the Neighbourhood Health Watch, which encourages communities to work together and support each other to get fitter at all ages. We’re going to see how well it works over a year.
I’m a big fan of walking. I got a psychedelic shopping trolley to pull along behind me and a pedometer. It’s amazing how the steps start adding up – I was walking about four miles a day and I dropped a stone in five weeks! You have to do it at a reasonable pace though – no dawdling.
As I’ve got older I’ve found I can’t hack booze. I couldn’t get drunk now I’m 48. It makes a difference like it never used to. I was never a binge drinker or anything, but now, a couple of glasses of wine and the next morning I’m fuzzy – everything’s harder and I’m more tired.
I’ve never smoked. Never taken a drug. I don’t get it. It’s stupid. People say you never know until you’ve tried it, but I don’t need to be in a plane that’s exploded to know what’s going to happen and I don’t need to smoke to know I don’t like it.
When I’m overtired, I start to eat. What I do now is, instead of eating, I’ll have a five-minute catnap.
When I had my first child, Katie, I couldn’t lose the weight. I was working six days a week. Then I got sacked by the BBC and suddenly there was a great big space in my diary, so I had time. But as soon as I went back into normal work mode it went back on again.
After my second child, Cameron, I went on a detox. I really had to make the effort, but I did it because I was worried about my health. As soon as I’d done it for a couple of weeks I started to lose weight rapidly and that made me feel better. It’s partly vanity, but I actually felt better too – I was irritatingly energetic.
Being in the public eye makes me worry about my body image. I was at Glastonbury last month and everyone was looking and passing comment. I mean, everyone’s nice, but still. I do it as well. If I see someone famous I look them up and down in a way that I wouldn’t with anyone else.
I am happy with my body, but please don’t convert that into, ‘I think my body’s great’. I’ve had that headline before. That’s absolutely not what I’m saying. As I get older, I think, well I’ve got what I’ve got, I’ll make the best of it.
I’m not very good at losing weight before a big event. I tend to go for the stomach holding-in pants instead. I’ve never been a crash dieter. I do still detox though and it always has a massive effect.
I don’t eat puddings. I have those pure fruit ice lollies you can get at supermarkets instead. They’re not overloaded with sugar and things. You have to read the labels though – a lot of stuff is sold as having ‘no nasties’ and then actually is really high in calories.
I haven’t weighed myself for years. I’ve got a pair of green satin trousers – size 8 with no give. I’d never wear them out but I try them on to check my size. I have stages: getting the button done up but not the zip; getting the button and the zip but not being able to sit down; then right at the thin end, being able to move properly in them.
You have to work at being healthy. In your 20s you think you’re immortal – in your 40s you start to realise the effects. I’m supporting a campaign by Lloyd’s Pharmacy - the Neighbourhood Health Watch which is encouraging communities to work together to get fitter at all ages. We’re going to see how well it works over a year if people have support.
Credit: Mirror Online
I put on about 10lbs during all the Countdown stuff. [Carol left Countdown in 2008 over a row about pay.] It was very personal and very vicious. I wasn’t sleeping at all because I was so stressed. When I’m stressed, that’s when my weight fluctuates.
The gym is not a natural place for me to be. I’ve been through periods occasionally when I start going for a year here and there, but it goes in cycles.
I had a personal trainer. I called her Cruella, but it is easier to stay on track when you’ve got someone else there. Trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle can be a lonely business. You don’t have to pay a trainer, but I think if you get together with someone else you’re far more likely to stay the course.
You have to work at being healthy. In your 20s you think you’re immortal – in your 40s you start to realise the effects. I’m supporting a campaign by Lloyd’s Pharmacy – the Neighbourhood Health Watch, which encourages communities to work together and support each other to get fitter at all ages. We’re going to see how well it works over a year.
I’m a big fan of walking. I got a psychedelic shopping trolley to pull along behind me and a pedometer. It’s amazing how the steps start adding up – I was walking about four miles a day and I dropped a stone in five weeks! You have to do it at a reasonable pace though – no dawdling.
As I’ve got older I’ve found I can’t hack booze. I couldn’t get drunk now I’m 48. It makes a difference like it never used to. I was never a binge drinker or anything, but now, a couple of glasses of wine and the next morning I’m fuzzy – everything’s harder and I’m more tired.
I’ve never smoked. Never taken a drug. I don’t get it. It’s stupid. People say you never know until you’ve tried it, but I don’t need to be in a plane that’s exploded to know what’s going to happen and I don’t need to smoke to know I don’t like it.
When I’m overtired, I start to eat. What I do now is, instead of eating, I’ll have a five-minute catnap.
When I had my first child, Katie, I couldn’t lose the weight. I was working six days a week. Then I got sacked by the BBC and suddenly there was a great big space in my diary, so I had time. But as soon as I went back into normal work mode it went back on again.
After my second child, Cameron, I went on a detox. I really had to make the effort, but I did it because I was worried about my health. As soon as I’d done it for a couple of weeks I started to lose weight rapidly and that made me feel better. It’s partly vanity, but I actually felt better too – I was irritatingly energetic.
Being in the public eye makes me worry about my body image. I was at Glastonbury last month and everyone was looking and passing comment. I mean, everyone’s nice, but still. I do it as well. If I see someone famous I look them up and down in a way that I wouldn’t with anyone else.
I am happy with my body, but please don’t convert that into, ‘I think my body’s great’. I’ve had that headline before. That’s absolutely not what I’m saying. As I get older, I think, well I’ve got what I’ve got, I’ll make the best of it.
I’m not very good at losing weight before a big event. I tend to go for the stomach holding-in pants instead. I’ve never been a crash dieter. I do still detox though and it always has a massive effect.
I don’t eat puddings. I have those pure fruit ice lollies you can get at supermarkets instead. They’re not overloaded with sugar and things. You have to read the labels though – a lot of stuff is sold as having ‘no nasties’ and then actually is really high in calories.
I haven’t weighed myself for years. I’ve got a pair of green satin trousers – size 8 with no give. I’d never wear them out but I try them on to check my size. I have stages: getting the button done up but not the zip; getting the button and the zip but not being able to sit down; then right at the thin end, being able to move properly in them.
You have to work at being healthy. In your 20s you think you’re immortal – in your 40s you start to realise the effects. I’m supporting a campaign by Lloyd’s Pharmacy - the Neighbourhood Health Watch which is encouraging communities to work together to get fitter at all ages. We’re going to see how well it works over a year if people have support.
Credit: Mirror Online
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