Tina Malone: “I laugh at my trolls!”
Despite the social media backlash over her new slimline look, Tina Malone says she feels more confident than ever
She lost a whopping S 12st after having a gastric band fitted in 2010 and then had 11lbs of excess skin removed to transform her new body – but last week Tina Malone found herself in the middle of a cruel online backlash after an appearance on This Morning.
CRUEL MESSAGES
Tina joined Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford on the ITV show to discuss the child obesity epidemic sweeping the UK, but despite the heated debate, the viewers’ attention seemed to be firmly fixed on her new look.
One critic Tweeted: “What a hot mess, she looks awful” while another added: “What has happened to Tina Malone? She looks like a skeleton.”
But size 8 Tina has hit back and tells Closer nothing the trolls can say will bring her down.
She adds: “You know what? Bring it on. I think I look bloody fantastic. I’m 53 and I’m embracing it – I’m not Cheryl or Vicky Pattison, but I think I look great and I’m a healthy weight.
“I’m damned if I’m healthy, I’m damned if I’m not. You can’t please everyone so I’ve just learnt not to care! I actually find it hysterical they spend so much time sitting behind their computers trolling me. I laugh at them.”
And Tina, who’s mum to two-year old Flame with the husband Paul Chase, and Danielle, 34, from a previous relationship, says she is trying to stick to the healthiest diet she can despite having a gastric band.
Tina – who was a size 28 before having weight-loss surgery – says: “I feel the best I’ve ever felt right now. I’m eating my fish and drinking my shakes – I’m even writing a cookbook aiming to educate people on nutrition. I’m also starting to train for a 5k race, which I’m aiming to do in March.
FIT AND HEALTHY
“My children and grandchildren keep me motivated – I want to be fit and healthy so I can be there for them as best I can. It also helps that my husband thinks I look brilliant!”
After losing weight, 5ft 1 Tina – who’s slimmed from a size 28 and 19st 4 to 7st 10lbs – spent £50,000 on a makeover last year, including a facelift and excess skin removal from her arms and stomach. And Tina even told Closer last week that she now loves to have sex in broad daylight with the curtains open. But, despite the trolls’ comments, Tina insists she doesn’t have an eating disorder and would never encourage anyone to be super skinny.
Tina says: “Happiness comes from loving yourself whatever you look like; getting super skinny won’t make you happy. It’s important to love yourself no matter what but also to embrace good nutrition and healthiness.”