‘I feel amazing – and my skin’s better than ever’

he famously S shed 6st in 2012, but it wasn’t until Josie Gibson attended a nutrition course that she realised she was addicted to sugar.

“I have always chosen lowfat products but didn’t realise my actual problem was sugar,” she says. “I’d eat loads of chocolate but also things like white bread and wine – I didn’t even realise those things had sugar in them!”

Josie, 32, went from 16st to 10st over a year, dropping to a size 8 thanks to a strict diet and exercise regime. She now says she realises how bad the sweet

She reveals: “I was always going for naps, I had spots, dark circles under my eyes and my skin looked wrinkly. I’ve since realised sugar impacts your skin’s elasticity, which is why people who don’t eat much of it look so youthful.”

After attending the course in 2013, Josie decided to quit sugar and admits it wasn’t plain sailing at first.

She says: “For a few weeks I had headaches and felt exhausted. But once I got through that it was amazing, my energy rocketed and I was always in a good mood. My skin looked brighter and clearer, too. Giving it up has definitely changed my life.”

These days, Josie eats porridge with chia seeds for breakfast. Lunch is a falafel salad and dinner is edamame pea pasta with pesto.

“I snack on fruit, vegetables and nuts,” she says. “I know people say fruit is full of sugar, but it's all natural so I don't avoid it. I try to stay as sugar-free as possible, and now I’m not used to eating it, I feel terrible when I do.”

And Josie is keen to emphasise that anyone can give up sugar.

“It doesn’t have to be torture,” she laughs. “My top tips would be to get your sweet fix from fruit. Putting grapes on a stick and freezing them is great – or make a healthy juice. And avoid keeping sugary snacks in the house; you'll be tempted, plus you’ll be feeding your children something that’s so bad for them. Finally, do a bit of exercise if you're craving sugar – you won't feel like eating rubbish after working out.”