‘I have the abs of a 25 year old!’
Entrepreneur Michelle Mone on the jaw-dropping 8 stone weight loss that’s left her in the best shape of her life
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Michelle Mone is tackling lockdown like she means business. As well as working hard from home, she’s continuing with her fitness mission after shedding an amazing eight stone over the past few years.
Whether she’s setting up a boot camp in her garden or out cycling, the 48 year old isn’t letting life in isolation stop her from maintaining her new size. And, despite having to put her wedding to businessman fiancé Doug Barrowman on hold, the former Ultimo underwear boss is already thinking about how they can make their big day work later this year.
Here, mum-of-three Michelle tells us about her incredible body transformation, her reworked wedding plans and why she’d never rule out cosmetic surgery…
Hi Michelle.You look amazing!
Thank you. It’s been a real journey and a lot of hard work. I tried to get the weight off for years and I’ve made it now. I’ve been fortunate and had a lot of experts helping me throughout the years, and I still do.
But I’ve taken advice from all over and put together my own plan of fitness and eating.
What does it include?
I normally work out for one hour a day, six days a week, and have Sundays off. But at the moment, because I don’t want to sit in my chair in my office every day for hours, I have upped my exercise to three or three-and-a-half hours. It’s been really fun.
What sort of exercise do you like?
I’ve been doing boot camps with Doug, which include circuit training, running and weights. We’ll hold each other’s feet while we do sit-ups. We’ve also been going for a lovely long walk every night for up to two hours, and a nice cycle at the weekend.That’s exhausting!
Is your diet also really healthy?
The biggest thing I’ve taught myself is everything in moderation. When I do have a treat, it’s important not to go off the rails. I try to avoid things that are bad for my body – bread, pasta, potatoes, crisps, chocolate and fried foods – and instead eat clean. I don’t eat any pre-packed food, so I cook everything fresh. It’s so easy, quick and tasty. I also drink about six litres of water a day.
Have people been in touch asking for tips?
I can’t believe the response. Everyone’s saying,‘Please tell me what you do!’ When I spoke about my weight loss recently, I didn’t do it because I was launching a book or anything, but now it’s making me think, ‘What can I do to help people?’ I treat my body like a business, so perhaps I could teach others to do the same.
Do you worry about putting the weight back on?
I think about it every day when I wake up. But that’s what keeps me going. I’m a different person now – I look different, feel different and my personality and confidence is different. I don’t want to go back to that old Michelle. It wasn’t good for my mental state, body or health, and I don’t want to see her again. She could come back at any time, but it’s my job to not allow her to.
Are scales banned in your house?
I weigh myself every week, but when it’s my time of the month, I can put on up to four pounds in water and fluid. I never weigh myself at night because that’s when you’re heaviest, but I keep an eye on it.
What’s your favourite part of your body?
If you were to see my abs, they’re like a 25 year old’s! They’ve really popped out. It shows if you set your mind to it, you can achieve it.
Is this the best you’ve ever felt?
I feel good about myself. I don’t lock myself in a room any more and binge eat. I was a foodaholic. Now I’m a much calmer person, I sleep better and I’m comfortable in my own skin. I love being me, whereas I used to hate being me. I have everything under control and take better care of myself.
In what ways do you do that?
I just spend more time on me. I have a whole beauty regime, whereas I never used to. I do a weekly face mask and scrubbing, and I massage my legs and put lots of treatments on. I also feel good when I’ve got a tan, so I’ve been using Utan lotion, which is great.
Have you had cosmetic surgery?
‘I think about putting the weight back on every day’
I haven’t. One of the biggest changes is my face, but that’s just because of weight. When I get into my late fifties and if I think I need it, never say never.
How are you finding life in lockdown, generally?
I’m doing well. I’m trying to use my time wisely. I’m getting on with projects and business that I normally wouldn’t get a chance to because I spend half my time travelling.
You were meant to be getting married earlier this month. Did you still celebrate?
We opened a bottle of champagne. All my bridesmaids called me on Zoom and we had a party for an hour before our other friends and family joined. It was lovely!
Do you have new plans for when you can walk down the aisle?
We’ve set another date for August and we might have to reduce the numbers down for more social distancing. We’ll see. All Doug and I want is for our friends and family
to be safe.
You sound very happy…
Doug and I are like the same person. I never thought
I’d meet another entrepreneur, because they’re quite unusual creatures. I’ve never had someone who understands me, and he’s the same. We met when we both invested in a tech company. We were just friends for quite a while, before I started to fall in love with him. It took a while. But when it did happen, we became inseparable.