DIETS...DIETS...DIETS...DIETS....DIETS...DIETS...DIETS...DIETS...

IF, LIKE COLEEN, YOU NEED TO GET IN SHAPE FOR A BIG EVENT THIS SUMMER, THEN TAKE A LOOK AT HER TOP 10 TIPS TO BUDGE THE WEIGHT FAST

By Laura Bond

With only a few months to go until her summer wedding, Coleen McLoughlin is getting her body ready for the big day.

But unlike most super-rich stars, the Liverpool lass doesn’t want to go to extremes losing weight.

Instead she just makes a few easy lifestyle changes when she’s trying to shift a few pounds.

Here’s Coleen’s TOP 10 wallet-friendly diet and fitness tips...

* The gorgeous WAG has normal weight issues, and struggles just like the rest of us. "I've got friends who just eat and eat whatever they want, and stay in shape. Unfortunately, I'm the total opposite. If I eat and eat then, guess what, I put weight on! So sometimes I'll cut down a little and maybe exercise a bit more and, hey presto, I'll lose a few pounds."

 

* Why not highlight the bits of your body you love instead of worrying about the parts you hate? Coleen says, "I've got a bum and I've got hips but I've got a small waist so I emphasise that."

 

* Like many of us, Coleen's not a big fan of the gym but there's no getting away from the fact it will help you lose those hard-to-shift pounds. Try mixing things up a bit to keep it interesting, and like Coleen, be realistic. "I try to go to the gym three times a week for about two hours each time but it doesn't always happen," she says. "I do cardio and I like pilates'". Her trainer, Elise Lindsay says, "Coleen's no fan of the running machine but it's one of the pieces of equipment which has the best effect, as does the rowing machine, so I tell her to grin and bear it."

 

*Try Coleen's simple and easy-to-do piece of advice "The best tip I learnt was the 30 per cent rule - follow this and I'm sure you'll end up with a flatter, more toned stomach and improved posture so you will feel taller and slimmer too." To do this, pull in your abdominals by 30 per cent when you carry out daily tasks. Imagine you're 'naked shopping' - in an instant you'll pull up and in!

 

* Be honest with yourself about your body shape. "I suppose every woman has hang ups. I'm curvy. I have to pick what I eat," says Coleen. "I'm only 5ft 3in, so I would like to be taller with longer legs. You always want to lose a few pounds or tone up a bit more but I'm a confident person."

 

* If, like most of us, your wallet doesn't stretch to the services of a personal trainer, and the gym doesn't appeal to you, try a class - there are plenty to choose from. They can be more fun and will give you an all-over body work-out without you even realising. Coleen's favourite is kickboxing. "I find it a good way of relieving tension. My personal trainer Elise Lindsay tells me to think of someone I don't like or I've had an argument with." Coleen also says, "Sometimes I'll go to the local sports centre. The last class I took was body combat."

 

* Coleen and her trainer swear they keep their bums pert by practising the following exercise. Cross you arms over your chest or put your hands on your hips to keep your balance and then take a big lunging stride forward. Repeat 10 - 15 times on each leg.

 

* The self-confessed McDonald's devotee's changed attitude to food has helped Coleen get her fabulous figure. "I don't want to get too skinny. I always try to eat breakfast as it kick-starts the metabolism, and I've been trying to eat lots of veggies." She adds, "I've cut out on-the-go food like chips, sandwiches and takeaways. And I've limited my trips to McDonald's drive-thru."

 

* Coleen's diet is still varied though and very achievable for those of us without a dietician on hand. "During the week I'll aim to have cornflakes or sugar puffs with semi-skimmed milk. Then for lunch I'll have a salad or a sandwich, although I hate buying sandwiches because they put loads of rubbish in them. Then in the evening I'll try and have a proper meal with Wayne," she says.

 

* The beautiful, bride-to-be says, "I like a diet that allows you to eat normal food as long as you don't overindulge." And so rather than following a strict diet regime, Coleen insists it's just the little adjustments to her lifestyle that work. And with her wedding round the corner, she says, "I'm eating really healthily, drinking plenty of water and going to the gym a lot more, I can really feel myself toning up." An added bonus to this, she says, is, "My skin's benefitting from my healthy regime too. If you eat healthily, drink lots of water and work out then your skin has a great glow."

 

And the gorgeous WAG's last bit of advice is, "Like my Dad says, a little bit of everything is always good for you."

And by making these simple changes to your everyday life, with any luck you'll have a body like Coleen's to show off in no time at all.

"When I went on holiday I couldn't wait to try on my bikini," she says.

"When you've worked that hard for something you feel really proud of the results!"

Photography: Rex, Alamy, www.PhotoLibrary.com