Under the microscope
CAN YOU RUN UP THE STAIRS? YES. Exercise is incredibly important to me — for a healthy mind and body. When I’m training, I feel far more capable of dealing with stress. I aim for a mixture of weight training and cardio three or four times a week with a personal trainer. GET YOUR FIVE A DAY? ABSOLUTELY. I’m a big fan of fruit juices and smoothies, which I prefer to make at home. I like to have a mixture of kale, spinach, kiwi, apple and blueberries first thing. I also snack on nuts and berries. EVER DIETED? IN 2013 I lost 3 st, going from a size 16 to a size 6 after hiring a personal trainer and changing my diet. I’m 5ft 6in and am now a healthy size 8 — I’m 9½ st (I was 12 st at my heaviest). Keeping my weight down has been a struggle at times and I’ve fluctuated since I won I’m A Celebrity. ANY VICES? I PROBABLY drink far more than I should — six to eight gin and tonics on a Saturday night. My biggest vice is that if I open a large bar of chocolate, I eat the lot. ANY FAMILY AILMENTS? MY DAD had two heart attacks two years ago, but otherwise we’re pretty fit. WORST ILLNESS/INJURY? WHEN I was 13, I broke my ankle playing netball at county level — my bones were still growing, so I was a bit gangly and clumsy. POP ANY PILLS? I TAKE fat burners from my own Mini V nutrition range [a high caffeine supplement with nutrients to help with fatigue]. EVER HAVE PLASTIC SURGERY? I HAD breast enlargement surgery three years ago, going from a 32B to a 32D. My breasts used to look like spaniel’s ears and leftie looked like it had eaten rightie because it was so small. Everybody’s experience is different, but for me it was a relatively painful process and I wore a sports bra for a year afterwards. But it has given me a lot more confidence. COPE WELL WITH PAIN? I CAN’T tolerate much physical pain — even to the point where, if someone is blow-drying my hair, I ask them to be careful. I’m quite resilient about emotional turmoil and heartache. IS SEX IMPORTANT? YES, when I’m in a relationship — but if I’m not, I don’t care about sex at all. TRIED ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE? I TRIED to get into yoga but my mind was too active to fully embrace it. HANGOVER CURE? AFTER a heavy Saturday drinking session, I take detox tablets from my Mini V range. I also believe in giving your body what it wants, which, in my case usually entails lying around with my mates, watching TV box sets and eating pizza. WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE AT NIGHT? THE fear of over-sleeping, things I’ve stupidly said when I’ve been drunk, an argument I had 15 years ago, where I’m going in the future, whether I’ll find the man of my dreams, my dad’s health, the referendum result . . . BIGGEST PHOBIA? MY BIGGEST fear is failure. n The Real Me: Fashion, Fitness and Food, Tips for Real Women — From Me To you by Vicky Pattison is published by sphere at £16.99.