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Television personality Josie Gibson recently encountered a medical issue, experiencing a health scare linked to an opulent lifestyle. The presenter, known for her role on This Morning, was diagnosed with gout following a period of lavish living, including champagne consumption and high-end dining, while filming her Channel 5 travel series, Around The World In First Class.
Health Alert Linked to Lavish Living
Ahead of her subsequent television venture, The 1970s Diet, the single mother underwent a comprehensive health assessment, which yielded concerning results. Her blood analyses indicated she was suffering from gout, a condition she attributed to her luxurious habits.
Detailing her experience, she recounted telling a nurse, “My toes keep hurting.” She confessed, “I thought gout was only for old men but I have been living quite a lavish life. Before I filmed this show, I caught a lot of flights, I drank a lot of champagne, I ate a lot of rich food and I had little sleep. That’s how I ended up getting gout.”
Embracing ‘The 1970s Diet’ Challenge
Gibson’s latest project represents a stark contrast to her previous high-end travels. For The 1970s Diet, she swapped extravagant meals for basic fare such as boiled potatoes, liver, and spam.
She quipped about the shift, “I’ve come from one extreme to the other. I went from living my finest life ever to being brought down to earth with a bang.”
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In The 1970s Diet, Gibson investigates whether the domestic patterns of that decade were healthier, highlighting the notable difference in obesity prevalence between the 1970s and contemporary times. The TV star shared her surprise, stating, “I was surprised by that. I think of the 1970s and I think of madeira cake, trifles, angel delight… it doesn’t scream healthy – not to me!”
Navigating the 1970s Diet Plan
Nutritional specialists equipped Gibson with a meal strategy authentic to the era, featuring smaller 1970s portion sizes and even an appropriately-sized dinner plate. However, Gibson initially found the presented meals unappealing and expressed concern it might lead to weight gain, particularly with numerous carbohydrate-heavy choices and dishes like tripe or liver.
The devoted mother admitted, “There were a lot of carbs on the menu. I thought looking at the diet, I’d definitely put on weight.” Yet, dietary quantities weren’t the sole factor in the ’70s; lifestyle played a substantial role too.
Lifestyle Factors and Activity Levels
With increased walking, manual household tasks, and gardening, people in that period generally led significantly more active existences.
Confronting Weight and Revealing Fitness
Gibson’s personal weight history has been challenging, showing significant fluctuations from a size eight up to a size 22.
As part of the Back In Time For The Weekend segment within the show, the media personality bravely consented to disclose her weight. Stepping onto the scales, she registered 16 stones (102 kilograms), coupled with a body fat percentage of 48 per cent. While these figures were difficult to face, Gibson remained resolute.
She asserted, “If I’m taking on this experiment, then I’m showing it all, that’s the experiment. If you don’t show the experiment, what’s the point?” A positive aspect discovered was her superior physical condition.
Despite her previous anxieties and struggles with excess weight, a fitness evaluation categorised her physical state as top-tier. Elated, Gibson reported, “It was nice to know that even though I was overweight, I was at a supreme fitness level.”
She added, “I was expecting to have a low fitness level, even though I’ve always exercised. But he was like, ‘No, you’re at a superior fitness rate’.” The programme shows Gibson effortlessly using an exercise bike at speed.
Despite maintaining an active routine, she finds it perplexing that her physical size doesn’t seem to align with her efforts. “I’m one of the most on-the-go people I’ve ever met,” she conceded, “but my size doesn’t fit with my activity. It never has. I do not stop. I’ve got friends that are really slim and I’m thinking, ‘I run rings around you!’ Sometimes I think, ‘Is it fair?’ but we’re all different. I am fit but I am also overweight.”
Recovery and Sustainable Changes
Fortunately, Gibson’s health condition is improving, particularly after her gout symptoms subsided. She credits this recovery to fewer aeroplane journeys and substituting champagne with more water.
Gibson admitted, “As soon as I stopped catching all the flights and started drinking a bit more water and less champagne, it leveled itself out.”
The show furthermore prompted Gibson to increase her physical activity by regularly walking to local shops with a wheeled shopping cart, aiming for a daily step count reminiscent of the 1970s. Additionally, Gibson enthusiastically participated in a disco-themed exercise session and enjoyed wearing 1970s attire on set.
Reflections on Appearance and Diet Trends
However, her excitement was tempered during a vintage shopping experience when she realised dress sizes from that period were considerably smaller. This encounter brought her face-to-face with the concept of ‘vanity sizing’. She exclaimed, “I think 1970s fashion was my favorite era. It’s so gorgeous. When I got down there, I picked up my sizes that I am and went to the changing rooms and I was absolutely devastated. I didn’t know about vanity sizing.”
Josie Gibson revealed she feels most comfortable fitting into clothing sizes 12-14 but resists the temptation to try popular weight-loss injections like Wegovy, despite many acquaintances opting for them. “If something new comes out, I am not one to sign myself up for it first. I will sit back and watch what happens,” Gibson explained.