Birds Of A Feather star Pauline Quirke realised she needed to lose weight when she couldn't fit an aeroplane seatbelt around her waist.
In her new book, Where Have I Gone? My Life In A Year, the actress says she lost track of how fat she had become until the summer of 2010 when she went on a family trip to Majorca.
She reveals she was unable to get the seatbelt across her body and had to ask an air stewardess for an extension belt.
Pauline describes the moment when the stewardess came back towards her with a fluorescent orange belt: "When she spotted me, I saw pity in her eyes. And I wanted to die.
"In truth, nobody else knew what was going on. Nobody cared. But I knew, and that was enough. I had to do something, and soon. I couldn't go through that pain and humiliation again."
The incident pushed the 52-year-old star to embrace a healthy eating plan that helped her lose eight stone in the following year.
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The problem with gastric band surgery is it still doesn't mentally change the overeater, you still want to eat but your stomach can't handle it so you puke. We all know what we need to do to lose weight, and surgery isn't the answer.
LM_MOL: The problem with gastric band surgery is it still doesn't
She didn't have surgery. But I agree, for some people, it doesn't work because they haven't corrected the mental/emotional issue. A person can drink themselves fat with a couple of litres of Coke a day even with a gastric band in place.
azbenahmed: She didn't have surgery. But I agree, for some people,
She didn't do a healthy eating plan, she did LighterLife. It's a great way for people addicted to food to lose weight, but shouldn't be advertised as a healthy eating plan. It's not practical long term because there is no actual food involved, only LighterLife shakes and soups. It's a VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) you consume no more than about 500 cals a day during the weight loss phase. It's not particularly safe for diabetics, pregnant women or people with kidney problems and I think that it's irresponsible for HuffPost to call this a healthy eating plan. And I've done the diet, lost 5 stone and I was ecstastic, so I think I have the right to comment.
azbenahmed: She didn't do a healthy eating plan, she did LighterLife.
Way to make yourself look like a fool. It was a genuine post. If you would do yourself the favour of actually looking at the 500+ comments I've made on here, then you would see that for yourself. Shame you didn't do that before you made such a presumption.
I genuinely believe that while LL is a great diet for those who are addicted to food and can't find the willpower to shift the weight in a healthy way, it is not a long term solution and should not be described as a healthy eating plan because of all the people it is not safe for.
azbenahmed: Way to make yourself look like a fool. It was
Well done Pauline, but that's enough now. You are running the risk of taking it too far as you are beginning to look ill and emaciated. Size 12-14 is perfectly fine for a frame of you height and size.
Ladymacri: Well done Pauline, but that's enough now. You are running
Dawn French has lost the same amount of weight,yet looks amazing.Pauline has aged by 10 years and her friend Linda Robson has also aged because of weight loss.What makes them blind to how ill they look?
MsBubblyBlonde: Dawn French has lost the same amount of weight,yet looks
I think it's a "quirky" picture . She did well to lose that weight for sure but truth is very few people are that interested. I'm only typing this because I'm bored and I have read everything else that was actually interesting. She reminds me of ...........well noone really because I can't remember what the photo looks like and I can't be ar*ed to scroll back up. Going back to bed I think.
majdf18148: I think it's a "quirky" picture . She did well
It wasn't a healthy eating plan - it was not eating but drinking all food in liquid form. The other 40% wouldn't be able to afford the plan,it costs a fortune
Ratbag97: It wasn't a healthy eating plan - it was not
It costs £70 a week, most people who are overweight spend that on food and takeaways anyway. It's an amazing plan for those who really do not have self control over the food they take in. It teaches you to change how you look at food while you are losing the weight, all with the support of a group and group leader. It is expensive, I'll grant, but cheaper than gastric band/bypass and it works.
azbenahmed: It costs £70 a week, most people who are overweight
I had gastric band over 2 years ago,it didnt work for me and its a bit of a con because u still have to diet.Iwould not advise anyone to have it as iv spent 2 yrs pukeing in the toilet .I have now got it loosened as they wanted £5,000 to take it out.
meathmags: I had gastric band over 2 years ago,it didnt work
seems obvious that you still have to diet- the gastric band doesn't change the nutritional make up of foods. it just restricts your ability to eat as much, and doesn't always work, due to the risk of it moving. also some people still consume far too many calories by drinking coke and high sugar drinks and slowly eating more and more building up their tolerance. used properly though, with a little willpower, i think it can be a very good temporary way to train a person how to eat in a controlled manner. just my opinion, sorry it didn't work for you. can the NHS not help with this if you're being sick?
azbenahmed: seems obvious that you still have to diet- the gastric
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First Posted: 19/02/2012 15:56 Updated: 19/02/2012 16:06