Lucy Spraggan
THE X FACTOR STAR LUCY SPRAGGAN, 28, ON DROPPING 3ST, FALLING IN LOVE WITH RUNNING AND HOW SHE’S COPING WITH HER DAIRY ALLERGY
Hi Lucy! You’ve managed to lose 3st. Do you feel body confident?
Absolutely. It’s not just about losing weight, but I feel like I can do anything and it’s more to do with fitness. I feel more confident with the stuff that I wear, because this is how I’ve always wanted to look.
How have you lost weight?
I’ve been sober for nine months and I love running. It’s such an easy thing to fall in love with. Running is the optimal exercise, especially if you want to get rid of belly fat.
Have you overhauled your diet, too?
I’d tried all of them before. I did the keto diet for a bit and I woke up in the middle of night and fainted. I tried all the stupid teas and then I did some research and realised if you keep your body in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. I started on 1,300 calories, before I was exercising, which was too low. But yesterday I ran 11 miles, so I had 2,500.
How has your diet changed?
It’s not about starving yourself, it’s about making really tasty meals that don’t have oil in or substituting something that might be really calorific, for something that’s not. Like using Barenaked low-carb
Cornflakes with Oatly skinny milk and a black coffee
Half a tin of salmon, half an Uncle Ben’s rice with rocket and balsamic vinegar
150g of mincemeat, loads of courgette, mashed potato and loads of spices mixed with Alpro yoghurt to create my own sauce
An apple and a banana noodles instead of normal noodles. My advice for anyone who’s really serious about losing weight is to buy some food scales – forget bathroom scales.
How often are you running?
I train six days a week, which is like an athlete and my resting heart rate is 43. I try not to run every day, but I do some Olympic weight training and I do a lot of skipping.
What’s your favourite part of your body?
I love all of it as it is now. I’ve got thick thighs and I think, “I ran nearly half a marathon with those thick thighs yesterday.”
What’s your guilty food pleasure?
All the food in the world. When I went sober, I got really sick and had insanely intense stomach cramps. I then found out I’m lactose intolerant. I can’t have normal ice cream any more, but I do like Oatly ice cream. And I’d eat cake every day if I could!
Have you ever been tempted to be vegan or vegetarian?
Yeah. Being lactose intolerant and allergic to eggs, I like eating in vegan restaurants because I know I’m not going to eat any dairy. But being lactose intolerant in a situation like lockdown, I haven’t really explored it fully.
Does being in the public eye make you feel under pressure to look good?
I don’t think so. I’ve never cared about what I look like. I feel comfortable and I don’t feel pressure.
Look out for a new album and tour dates from Lucy later this year on lucyspraggan.com
“Cereals are an easy way to start the day, but a typical serving has less than 1g of fibre and we need 30g a day to help with our digestive health and to manage appetite. Lucy should switch to porridge or muesli or add some chopped almonds and apple to the cornflakes.
HEIGHT
5FT 4IN
WEIGHT
9ST
DRESS SIZE
6-8
At lunch, Lucy gets some fibre from the rice and there is protein and omega 3 fats in salmon. The rocket contains indole-3-carbinol, a plant chemical that supports normal cell growth and helps reduce the risk of some forms of cancer.
In the evening,
Lucy gets more protein from the mincemeat. It’s also a source of iron, which some people lack in their diet.
Having fruit as a snack is good too, but Lucy might add a few mixed seeds for more fibre and protein.”