Clare Balding is one of the United Kingdom’s most beloved and prolific broadcasters, appearing in everything from presenting Trooping the Colour to her participation in fly-on-the-wall series Celebrity Gogglebox alongside her wife Alice Arnold. The 54-year-old is on our screens more than ever, and fans may have noticed her more slender figure as of late. The transformation is the result of a dedicated effort to change her lifestyle: everything from the way she eats to the way to exercise, all without making her feel like she’s “depriving” herself of anything, she explained in an exclusive interview with HELLO!.
© Anthony Harvey/ShutterstockClare Balding is married to Alice Arnold, with whom she appears on Celebrity Gogglebox
“I’ve worked hard at it and feel better,” she began. “I got into my 50s and thought, ‘I’m just going to be fat and happy’, but then a friend talked about a low-carb diet and the late Michael Mosley publicised this form of weight loss, too, and I thought, I’ll give it one more go – as I’ve tried so many diets over the years – and see if it works. And it did!”
Clare Balding shifted her eating habits
The broadcaster, whose debut novel, Pastures New, will be released very soon, explained that she no longer eats bread or pasta, and tries to consume as little sugar as she possibly can. Clare also revealed that she’s changed her approach to alcohol too, adding: “And if I want a drink, I have a gin and tonic instead of wine, so I don’t feel like I’m depriving myself of things.”
© Clare BaldingClare shared the secret to her weight loss
One of the main benefits that the 54-year-old has felt has been the feeling of being able to wear whatever she wants, and having confidence in doing so. “I’m never going to be stick thin – that’s just not me,” she continues. “I’ve got massive bones. But I can now put on a pair of trousers with a belt and my shirt tucked in and I went for years without being able to do that. That feels great.”
Clare Balding has also changed her fitness routine
She also revealed to HELLO! that her fitness is at an all-time high, and that she no longer thinks anything of going for a brisk five- or six-mile walk, which is no mean feat. In fact, Clare explained that she did a long walk like this nearly every single day when she was writing Pastures New; being on the move gives her the time and headspace to think properly, which helped her to develop the story.