Adele Says New Fitness Regime Was About Tackling Anxiety, Not Losing Weight

The singer is currently gearing up for the release of her long-awaited fourth album 30.

Adele has spoken for the first time about her recent weight loss, insisting it was never her intention to deliberately slim down.

Instead, the Grammy-winning star has said her new look was the result of an intense new fitness regime, after she began working out more to help combat her anxiety.

On Thursday, the Hello singer unveiled two brand new covers for the UK and US editions of Vogue which were accompanied by two separate interviews.

In each of them, Adele tackled a range of issues, from her divorce from ex-husband Simon Konecki to the recent death of her father, as well as her new album and her work with the Grenfell United campaign group.

She also discussed having lost “100lbs” during her time out of the spotlight in the last few years and, indeed, the public reaction to her weight loss.

To British Vogue, Adele first spoke about the way many people “lost the plot” upon seeing her slimmer frame, clarifying the physical change actually took place “over a two-year period”.

“It was because of my anxiety,” she began. “Working out, I would just feel better.

“It was never about losing weight, it was always about becoming strong and giving myself as much time every day without my phone. I got quite addicted to it. I work out two or three times a day.”

Adele pictured in British Vogue
Adele pictured in British Vogue
Steven Meisel/British Vogue

Detailing her personal regime, Adele continued: “So I do my weights in the morning, then I normally hike or I box in the afternoon, and then I go and do my cardio at night. I was basically unemployed when I was doing it. And I do it with trainers…. It’s not doable for a lot of people.

“But I needed to get addicted to something to get my mind right. It could have been knitting, but it wasn’t. People are shocked because I didn’t share my ‘journey’. They’re used to people documenting everything on Instagram, and most people in my position would get a big deal with a diet brand.

“I couldn’t give a flying f**k. I did it for myself and not anyone else. So why would I ever share it? I don’t find it fascinating. It’s my body.”

On the deluge of tabloid news stories about her weight loss in the last two years, Adele noted that “a hundred per cent of the stories written about me have been absolutely fake”.

“The people that came out being like, ‘I trained her,’ I’ve never met in my life. It’s disgusting. I cannot get over it,” she added.

“If anything I eat more than I used to because I work out so hard. And also, that whole thing of like, ‘Gets Revenge Body’… Oh my god. Suck my dick! It’s ridiculous.”

Elaborating further about the reaction to her weight loss to the American version of the magazine, Adele said: “My body’s been objectified my entire career. It’s not just now. I understand why it’s a shock. I understand why some women especially were hurt.

“Visually I represented a lot of women. But I’m still the same person.”

She added”The most brutal conversations were being had by other women about my body. I was very fucking disappointed with that. That hurt my feelings.”

Adele is currently gearing up for the release of her new single Easy On Me, her first new release in almost six years.

The track is the lead single to be taken from her long-awaited fourth studio album, 30, which she also now spoken about at length.

“I feel like this album is self-destruction,” she told British Vogue. “Then self-reflection and then sort of self-redemption. But I feel ready. I really want people to hear my side of the story this time.”

Adele covers both Vogue and British Vogue’s November issues, with the latter hitting newsstands on 8 October. Read her interview with both publications in full on their websites here and here.

Help and support:

  • Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
  • Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
  • CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
  • The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
  • Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.
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