British comedian and actress Dawn French has been in the spotlight for her incredible weight loss journey, shedding seven-and-a-half stone. French, who has always been vocal about her struggles with weight and body image, decided to make some lifestyle changes for the sake of her health in 2014. She adopted a healthier diet and exercise regimen, and one source attributes her success to the keto diet. However, French herself has stated that there was no magic wand, just tiny, joyless low-cal eating and lots more walking for weeks and weeks.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Reason for weight loss | To qualify for keyhole surgery during a hysterectomy after a cancer scare |
Weight loss method | Keto diet |
Weight loss | 7 stone 7 lbs |
Time taken to lose weight | 2 years |
Weight before weight loss | 19 stone |
What You'll Learn
Dawn French's weight loss was motivated by health concerns
French has always been vocal about her struggles with weight and body image, and in 2014, she decided to make some significant lifestyle changes. She switched to a healthier diet and began exercising regularly, citing health reasons as her primary motivation. French wanted to be there for her daughter, Billie, and knew that losing weight would be essential for her health as she aged.
In an interview, French shared that her doctor advised her to lose weight before undergoing a hysterectomy due to a cancer scare. The procedure could be done via keyhole surgery if she lost weight, resulting in a quicker recovery of three weeks. Otherwise, it would be open surgery with a recovery period of three months. This prompted French to take action, and she successfully lost seven and a half stone, allowing her to have the less invasive keyhole surgery.
French's weight loss journey has inspired many, and she has been praised for her honesty and dedication. She has emphasised that there was "no magic wand" during her transformation, only "tiny, joyless low-cal eating and lots more walking for weeks and weeks." French's experience serves as a reminder that weight loss is often a result of hard work and a commitment to a healthier lifestyle.
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She lost weight by walking more and eating low-calorie meals
Comedian and actress Dawn French has always been candid about her weight loss journey. In 2014, she lost a whopping 7 stone 7 pounds ahead of a hysterectomy. At the time, she weighed 19 stone.
French's weight loss journey began in 2011 after her split from husband Lenny Henry. However, it was her doctor's advice before her operation that prompted her to shed the pounds. French revealed that she had no choice but to slim down as it would impact the type of surgery she would have to undergo. She said:
> "When I was due to have my hysterectomy the doctor told me that if I could lose some weight before the op, they would be able to do it via keyhole, and I would recover in three weeks or so. Otherwise, it would be big open surgery, and three months to recover. So, I set about dropping a few stone."
And so, French embarked on a weight loss journey characterised by "tiny, joyless low-cal eating and lots more walking for weeks and weeks". She increased her exercise by walking more and adopted a low-calorie diet.
French described this period as "grim", but her hard work paid off as she successfully lost seven-and-a-half stone. This meant that she was able to have keyhole surgery and made a quicker recovery.
French's weight loss has been a source of inspiration for many, and she has been praised for her dedication and honesty throughout her journey.
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She has since regained weight and doesn't give a fk
In 2024, British actress and comedian Dawn French, known for her role in The Vicar of Dibley, revealed that she had regained some of the weight she had previously lost. French has always been vocal about her struggles with weight and body image, and her weight loss journey began in 2011 after her split from husband Lenny Henry and ahead of a hysterectomy due to a cancer scare in 2014. She weighed 19 stone at her heaviest and managed to lose seven and a half stone through low-calorie meals and increased exercise.
However, in a recent podcast, French and Saunders: Tting About, French revealed that she has since regained some of the weight. She said, "I've gone back to being an entire barrel but do you know what, I'm going to be 63 this year, I don't give a fk, I really don't, so long as I can walk. I’m not going to be stingy to myself anymore. I never did dislike anything about my body, even when I was very, very fat. I refuse to be forced to dislike myself."
French's weight loss journey has been well-publicised, and she has even faced scams using her image to promote diet pills, which she has publicly denounced. Her decision to prioritise her health and well-being, regardless of societal expectations and pressures, is an inspiration to many.
French's attitude towards her weight has always been positive, and she has emphasised that her weight has never impacted her self-esteem. In an interview with The Mirror in 2012, she stated, "I've never disliked myself, and my weight has had nothing to do with my self-esteem. I still refuse to dislike my old body. For me, whatever age or size I've been, I have rather liked myself. The shell is not the thing at all."
French's honesty and authenticity regarding her weight journey have resonated with many fans, who have consistently expressed their awe and support. Despite facing challenges and scrutiny, French remains true to herself and continues to inspire others with her strength and resilience.
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French has criticised fake diet adverts using her image
British actress and comedian Dawn French has been vocal about her struggles with weight and body image. In recent years, she has undergone a significant weight loss journey, which has caught the attention of her fans and the media. While French has been open about her weight loss, she has also been critical of fake diet adverts that use her image and story to promote weight loss products without her consent.
In 2021, French took to Twitter to call out a diet advertisement that used her weight loss pictures and a fake quote attributed to her. She branded the advert "b*ks" and exposed it as a scam, urging her followers not to fall for such schemes. This was not an isolated incident, as French has had to shut down similar adverts in the past as well. She told The Sun that it infuriates her to see her images used to promote diet pills, especially to people who might be vulnerable due to low self-esteem.
French's weight loss journey began in 2011, after her split from husband Lenny Henry, and became more focused in 2014 when she needed to lose weight ahead of a hysterectomy due to a cancer scare. She weighed 19 stone at the time and was advised by her doctor to lose some weight to qualify for keyhole surgery, which would result in a shorter recovery period. French shared that there was no magic wand and that her weight loss was a result of tiny, joyless low-cal eating and lots more walking for weeks and weeks.
While French's weight loss journey has inspired many, she has been critical of the diet industry's use of her image without her permission. She has been vocal about her displeasure and has urged her followers to be cautious of such scams. French's criticism of fake diet adverts using her image sends a strong message about the unethical practices of some companies in the weight loss industry. It also highlights the importance of seeking reliable and trustworthy sources for health and weight loss advice.
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She has spoken about her struggles with body image
British actress and comedian Dawn French has been vocal about her struggles with weight and body image. In an interview, she shared that her weight loss journey began when she needed to lose weight ahead of a hysterectomy after a cancer scare. She weighed 19 stone at the time and needed to lose some weight to be eligible for keyhole surgery, which would result in a shorter recovery time.
French revealed that she had no choice but to slim down and described the process as "grim". She said: "No magic wand, just tiny, joyless low-cal eating and lots more walking for weeks and weeks". Despite the challenges, she successfully lost seven and a half stone and was able to have the keyhole surgery.
French has also spoken about the challenges of maintaining her weight loss. In an interview with Loose Women, she shared that her weight fluctuates, and she is not too strict in her approach to weight loss. She said: "I shed the weight a long time ago, I go up a bit, down a bit, feel no difference... I'm still Dawn, I liked the old Dawn, I may go there again, depends on how many doughnuts I decide to eat".
French has also been open about her struggles with body image and the pressure to look a certain way as a celebrity. In an interview with The Mirror, she shared that her motivation for losing weight was her health, especially as she wanted to be there for her daughter. She said: "I've never disliked myself, and my weight has had nothing to do with my self-esteem. I still refuse to dislike my old body. For me, whatever age or size I've been, I have rather liked myself. The shell is not the thing at all".
French has also been critical of the diet industry and has spoken out against fake diet adverts that used her weight loss pictures and quotes without her permission. She took to Twitter to brand these adverts "b*ks" and "Keto lies". She told The Sun that it infuriates her to see her images used to promote diet pills to people who might be suffering from low self-esteem.
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Frequently asked questions
Dawn French lost 7 stone 7 lbs.
Dawn French lost weight by eating low-calorie meals, exercising more, and following the keto diet.
Dawn French wanted to lose weight for a hysterectomy after a cancer scare. Her doctor told her that losing weight would mean they could perform the surgery via keyhole, and she would recover in three weeks.
Yes, Dawn French took keto gummies to lose weight. Keto gummies are flexible and help manage your body. They are made with natural ingredients and do not have any negative side effects.
The keto diet, short for Ketogenic, is a high-fat, low-carb diet that forces the body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. This results in quick weight loss.