Lisa Riley has opened up about the very nifty way she shed 12 stone. The former Emmerdale actress, who is returning to the soap in the New Year, admitted that she keeps her weight under control by not eating carbohydrates after 1:30pm. Speaking to the Mirror, Lisa revealed that she makes lunch her main meal of the day, followed by a lighter dinner before 7pm.
"I was the classic over-eater but I have completely changed my attitude towards food," said Lisa, whose favourite foods used to be white bread, crumpets, crisps and pasta. "I used to go out for a meal and have a starter, main and pudding. No wonder I was gaining weight."
© Photo: WENNLisa doesn't eat carbs after 1:30pm
The soap star famously dropped from a UK size 28 to a healthy size 14, choosing to put on more weight when she reached a size 12 as she felt she "didn't look right". "My face felt a bit gaunt. I'm not built to be stick-thin," she said. "Now, I feel that my body is the right size and shape for me. I am toned everywhere. I was a size 28. I know I'll never go back to the old me. Some of my clothes are a 12, some a 14 and I couldn't care less."
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Lisa has turned her love of eating into a love for exercise; the 42-year-old admitted that she would turn to a bar of Dairy Milk whenever she was feeling down, but now throws herself into a workout to make herself feel better.
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Fans won't have to wait for much longer before they see Lisa back on screens. The actress will reprise her role as Mandy Dingle after a 17-year hiatus. In a statement, Lisa said: "I could not be happier to be returning in the New Year to Emmerdale. It's something I never thought would happen after 17 years and I am so interested to see what trouble Mandy is capable of causing. But mostly being back with all my old friends, it's like I've never been away."
Mandy turning up in the village will send shockwaves across the Dingle family, while Paddy Kirk – who has been grieving the death of his daughter Grace – is bound to have a lot to say to his ex-wife.
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