‘Cutting out sugar has given me more energy’

TV presenter Davina Mccall reveals how she banished her sweet tooth and transformed her health for good

he’s no stranger to S a challenge, with several fitness DVDS under her belt as well as Sport Relief events and extreme treks, but tackling her sweet tooth may have been Davina Mccall’s most life-changing task yet.

The self-confessed former “sugar addict” openly admitted she’d wolf down five bags of Haribo sweets in between filming, insist on adding 3tsps of sugar in her tea and would even steal chocolate from her children – Davina is mum to Holly, 15, Tilly, 13, and Chester, 10 – to satisfy her cravings. She said: “I’d have huge slumps in energy, I gained weight and my clothes felt uncomfortable. Even my skin felt prickly. I hated it.”

Over just five weeks, the star embarked on a mission to change her diet for good. She eliminated foods containing refined sugar, including processed snacks and white carbs, and this helped to transform her health, too. The 49-year-old TV presenter revealed: “I have so much more energy and my skin has improved. I also got a sense of freedom – I stopped feeling like I had to go to the fridge and scan for something sweet every evening.”

While giving up sugar may sound daunting, Davina’s approach is realistic and easy to follow. She says: “The most important thing is not to give yourself a hard time. If you slip up, just start again the next day. Be realistic and reframe the concept – think along the lines that you’re not giving up sugar, you’re eating for better health. You’ll be giving yourself something, rather than taking it away.”

To help you, Davina shares some of her favourite recipes from her book