Denise Welch has candidly spoken about gaining two stone after she gave up alcohol.
The Loose Women panellist has marked 11 years of sobriety and has looked back at how giving up alcohol has changed her life. Taking to Instagram, the 64-year-old shared a poignant post where she talked about the lifestyle change.
She said she "replaced one addiction with another" which led to her weight gain. Denise posted two photos of herself in swimsuits where she compared photos when she was two stone heavier.
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She said she managed to "changed her relationship with food" in the last ten years, reports the Mirror. She wrote: "10 yrs ago today I started my @lighterlife journey. I lost 2 stone in 2 months and became a proud ambassador, a title I hold to this day.
"I have seen @lighterlife change lives especially reversing type 2 diabetes. When I gave up alcohol I replaced one addiction with another, food and gained 2 stone.
"With the help of @lighterlife and their mentor and behavioural therapy approach I was able to change my relationship with food."
Denise concluded: "The osteoarthritis in my knees improved by 90 per cent. For more information the link is in my stories #ad."
The post comes after Denise celebrated being sober for 11 years. In another Instagram post she talked about how sobriety changed her life.
She said that her relationship with alcohol was "disastrous" and it affected her relationship with her husband Lincoln Townley and the lives of her sons Louis, 22, and Matty, 34, who she shares with her ex Tim Healy. The actress admitted that going sober "wasn't easy" but it had changed her life for the better.
Denise said: "11 yrs sober today!!! Giving up my disastrous relationship with alcohol changed my life, my husband's life and my children's lives. Plus the lives of all who love me.
"It wasn't easy. Addiction is a cruel and frightening illness. But together @lincolntownley and I realised that we were destroying many lives including our own and we did it.
"I now have a wonderful marriage that is the foundation of my life. Our kids are happy and I hope those of you struggling find the strength to stop.
"If alcohol no longer makes you happy, if your drinking makes others lives miserable it's time to stop. There is help there if you need it."
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