'VERY LUCKY'
I should be dead after abusing alcohol so having saggy skin around stomach is least of my worries, says Michelle Heaton
Michelle has learned to embrace her so-called imperfections
AFTER battling the alcohol addiction that nearly killed her, Michelle Heaton has worked tirelessly to get into the shape of her life.
But despite being super-fit and enviably lean, the Liberty X singer was left frustrated by the stubborn loose skin around her stomach that would not shift — no matter how many hours she spent in the gym.
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Years of yo-yo dieting, two C-sections, a hysterectomy and the effects of menopause had all contributed to the issue. At one point, Michelle even considered going under the knife to fix it.
But she has learned to embrace her so-called imperfections and is now on a mission to help others do the same.
Michelle, 44, who has been sober for three years, says: “The only way to get rid of saggy skin is to cut it off. And I did think about it.
“But I can’t make my body go through that after I have already had to do so much health-wise. Having loose skin is natural. I don’t have the ‘perfect’ body, but I’m really happy in it.
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“I’m glad to be able to show other women that you don’t have to look a certain way to feel body positive.”
Last week, in a bid to normalise loose skin, Michelle posted a bikini picture on Instagram.
It showed the loss of elasticity around her midriff, an area she usually covers with high-waisted gym leggings.
Now, having come to terms with her body, she has given up searching for a non-existent miracle cure.
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Michelle says: “Let’s be realistic, if there was something that took away our droopy skin, we’d know about it.
“There are so many things on the market, but there isn’t anything that’s going to ‘fix’ it.
Michelle Heaton looks almost unrecognisable in video taken in rehab as she celebrates two years sober
“I don’t love my loose skin, but it’s about acceptance. I’ve learned to appreciate my body for what it is.
"From what it’s been through, I should be dead. That’s the reality of my addictions. But I got very lucky and found recovery, so I’m accepting of the warts and all now.”
Michelle attributes some of the loose skin to the 2st weight loss which came as a result of ditching the booze, doing regular workouts and eating healthily.
She says: “Do I want to put on the 2st that I worked really hard to lose just to fill out some skin? No, I don’t. I’m really happy with my body — saggy skin and all.”
‘Fix’ it
And Michelle’s husband of nearly 14 years, personal trainer Hugh Hanley, 45, is not bothered in the slightest.
“He doesn’t even see it,” she says with a laugh. “I don’t see his imperfections and he’s the same with me.”
Her daughter Faith has just turned 12, while son AJ is ten.
Michelle recognises the role social media plays in creating unrealistic beauty standards and is aware of the harm it can cause.
“We see perfection everywhere,” says the Gateshead-born singer. “We are flooded with it on social media as soon as we wake up.
"And I’m part of that because without any social media, I would not exist in today’s climate.
Do I want to put on the 2st that I worked really hard to lose just to fill out some skin? No, I don’t
"I’ve had to learn those tools. But for Faith’s generation, that’s what they’re living through and we can’t take it away.
“I could fight tooth and nail to stop her looking, but it’s just not worth it.
"She has to learn to live with it and make her own decisions, with a little bit of wisdom from an old girl like me about what is real and what isn’t. That’s all I can do as a parent, but it’s really scary.”
It is not surprising that Michelle does not want to put her body through the unnecessary trauma of a tummy tuck when she has already fought through so much.
After discovering she carried the BRCA-2 gene in 2012, putting her at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer, she underwent a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction as well as a total hysterectomy, which put her into early menopause. Michelle had a second boob job when her implants ruptured.
She says: “When I had my first surgery, they took away all the flesh inside to eradicate my 85 per cent risk of breast cancer. My grandma and great-grandma both died of breast cancer.
“I feel so lucky that I was able to reduce the risk to minimal and still have breasts. I know not all women are as privileged.”
Michelle has faced body scrutiny since she found fame on Popstars: The Rivals 22 years ago.
Trolls now accuse her of being too thin, which she says hurts just as much as when she was attacked for being bigger.
She says: “I try not to look at those comments, but I do see them and I get hurt.
"In Liberty X I was ‘the fat one’ and it would be ‘Who ate all the pies?’. I’d be told I needed to lose weight.
'Life isn’t perfect'
Someone at the record label said I was starting to not look like a pop star. I remember going to my flat and ordering the biggest pizza and chips. I didn’t care, the only comfort I had was food.
“Now I find comfort from other things. But when I get told that I don’t eat or I’m too skinny, my head can switch.”
Michelle trains five times a week and it has given her an impressive physique.
She says: “When I was 14, I’d forge notes to get out of PE because I was so embarrassed.
"If you’d told me then the way I would look and feel now, I would never have believed you.
“It’s given me much more energy and focus.”
I can finally say I love myself
It has also given her more confidence when it comes to fashion, though her daughter often does not approve.
“I’m more ‘out there’ now,” says Michelle, who runs fitness company Mission Possible Wellness alongside Hugh.
“My daughter sometimes says it’s too skimpy. But my husband applauds!
“I’d dare anyone to tell me I can’t wear a sexy outfit because I’m 44. Don’t let other people’s opinions drag you down.”
Michelle’s message to people who are self-conscious is to talk about those feelings and let them go.
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She says: “You’d be surprised at how many other women are feeling exactly the same and that togetherness can create confidence and self-love.
“Of course I have bad days and life isn’t perfect. But I can finally say I love myself.”
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