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Monday, January 24, 2011

The less weeny Claire Sweeney: Yo-yo dieting star pictured with fuller figure

She certainly knows how to shed the pounds.

But it seems Claire Sweeney hasn’t quite cracked the secret of keeping the weight off.
Strolling down a beach in the Caribbean, the actress, who has a best-selling fitness DVD, looked very different to the toned, bronzed creature she once was.

In 2009, Miss Sweeney appeared in a documentary in which she tried to gain as much weight as possible to highlight the dangers of overeating.

Claire Sweeney
Claire Sweeney

Thin and toned to fuller figure: Claire Sweeney promoting her 2010 fitness film (left) and on the beach this week (right)

At the time, she said: ‘The weight gain was so quick. I took my foot off the brake and gained two stone in six weeks. Secretly it was getting me down. I felt older and I couldn’t wear 60 per cent of my clothes.

‘I wanted to wear my beautiful Roland Mouret fitted dresses and skinny jeans, but nothing fitted.’

Sunny break: Miss Sweeney looks downcast during her Caribbean holiday

Sunny break: Miss Sweeney looks downcast during her Caribbean holiday

Once filming finished, she took weekly training sessions with British Military Fitness to shed the pounds, although her weight loss stalled at 11st 2lb.

And a year ago, Miss Sweeney, who split up with her long-term partner Tony Hibbard in 2007, revealed that she had finally managed to slim down to ten stone, saying she was ‘happy and healthy’.

But it seems that the 39-year-old has abandoned her most slender look for now.

Last year she was dropped as the prospective face of a diet plan after publicly endorsing a rival firm.

The Loose Women panellist signed a lucrative deal with the Go Lower weight-loss programme.

But the Edinburgh-based firm ditched her in September after she appeared on the front cover of the latest issue of WeightWatchers magazine.

Miss Sweeney gained two stone in 2009 while filming a Supersize Me-style documentary for ITV1 in which she was allowed to gorge on whatever food she fancied.

She went from 9st 12lb at the beginning of the process to 11st 10lb at the end, and saw her bra size swell from a C cup to a G cup.

'I feel quite bloated - like Michelin Man,' said the Brookside star.

Claire Sweeney
Claire Sweeney

Yo-yo diets: Claire Sweeney looked to have gained weight during her Caribbean break this week

Last year she dropped two dress sizes and got her confidence back after going on a rigorous fitness regime.

The television presenter managed to shed a stone in just seven weeks.

She went from 11st 2lb to 10st (size 12-14 to a 10) after exercising three times a week.

Speaking to Closer magazine last February, Miss Sweeney said said: 'My leg is like rock! I’m solid muscle.'

The 5ft 8in star added: 'I haven’t been this toned since I was in Chicago 10 years ago.

'My bum is high and curved, my waist has slimmed right down and my cheekbones are more defined. I wasn’t looking forward to posing in a bikini, but I don’t look too bad!'

Curvy: The Brookside star's weight has fluctuated in recent years

Curvy: The Brookside star's weight has fluctuated in recent years

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