Josie Gibson talks about her weight loss

Josie Gibson's well-publicised battle with her weight has seen her hit the headlines. When unflattering photos of the Big Brother winner wearing a bright pink bikini in Ibiza emerged in May, she admits it knocked her confidence.

Speaking to this week's Closer magazine, Josie, 27, explains: "I'd gone out there to look at houses as I was thinking of investing in some property. The last thing I expected was to get photographed and, as far as I'm concerned, I look like a total beast. I was in denial about how big I'd got, but those pictures really brought it home. I couldn't believe it when I weighed myself and realised I was 14st and a size 16."

"I've always been a yo-yo dieter, but when I saw those photos I was really horrified. I knew I had to tackle my weight again."

Josie - who got engaged to boyfriend of 11 months, plumber Luke Sanwo, 24, in February - adds: "I asked Luke if I looked like that in real life and he wouldn't meet my eyes. I thought, 'Why didn't anyone tell me?!' I was really gutted because I'd undone the weight loss I'd achieved last year."

Since going into the BB house in 2010, Josie has fluctuated between a size 12 and an 18, with her weight yo-yoing between 12st 3lbs and 16st. After a stint in boot camp last July, she was back to a size 12-14, but in February this year, she broke her ankle and, unable to exercise, gained around 2st before her trip to Ibiza in May.

Josie recalls: "When I broke my ankle, I was doing up a house I'd bought in Bristol and didn't have a kitchen to cook in, so I ended up living on takeaway pizzas, burgers, kebabs and KFC."

After seeing the recent bikini pics, Josie decided to overhaul her diet and started exercising three times a week

with a trainer. She says: "I've cut out dairy products and I eat much more healthily now. No junk, just loads of fish, avocado and salad - I know what I'm supposed to eat, but it's not always easy. I stick to 1,400 calories a day and my golden rule is to always have breakfast. That's where I've gone wrong in the past - I'd starve myself until late morning, then fill up on loads of junk food. I was also boozing too much and not watching my portion sizes."

Now down to a size 14 and 13st, Josie is feeling more confident about her body, but says she still wants to lose 2st to reach 10st and her size 10 goal.
She says: "I have a picture in my head of how I'm going to look when I'm slimmer. I'm planning a trip abroad in August and I want to look hot on the beach. The aim is to be a size 10 by next summer and hit the music festivals in cowboy boots and hot pants with a fringed bra top. I have the outfit, I just need to lose the weight! I'm well aware my body's not perfect and I don't like my droopy small boobs. But being healthy is what's most important."

Josie says she has always struggled with her weight and isn't interested in being a "poster girl" for bigger women. She recalls: "At school, I started hoovering up seconds every lunchtime, but it really hurt that boys never fancied me because I was big. These days, I come across as confident as I can talk to anyone, but I don't always have that much self-belief."

This week's Closer magazine is on sale now.