Susannah Constantine, 64, showcased her significant weight loss in a swimsuit photograph shared on Instagram, attributing her success to the elimination of refined sugar rather than weight loss medications. Constantine, who previously co-hosted the BBC's "What Not To Wear," stated she now weighs 10.5 stone (approximately 147 pounds) after five months without refined sugar.
Constantine described her current physique honestly, noting it still has "shoulder splitting G cups," a "muffin top," and "crepey skin," while humorously adding her stomach was sucked in and limbs stretched to smooth skin ripples. She was pictured on a boat during a holiday, wearing a decade-old swimsuit.
In May, Constantine had shared that she had lost 14 pounds over a 12-week period by cutting sugar-based foods from her diet. This dietary change was inspired by a friend who enlisted a nutritionist to help break Constantine's pattern of unhealthy eating. The TV presenter, who has 13 years of sobriety from alcohol, found giving up sugar more challenging than abstaining from alcohol.
She explained in an interview that while alcohol changed her personality, her behavior around sugar had become concerningly familiar. Sugar, she noted, activates the same reward pathways in the brain as alcohol, releasing dopamine and opioids. Despite recognizing that sugar addiction might be less destructive than alcohol or drug addiction, she identified worrying behavioral similarities, such as secrecy and obsession, to her past drinking habits.
Constantine recalled hiding her consumption of chocolate and noted that her daughters commented on her eating habits. She realized the extent of her problem when she began hiding her treats. Her defense was often that she ate healthily to justify consuming sugary snacks, admitting to eating entire family bags of sweets.
She also acknowledged that her sugar intake was likely four times the NHS recommended amount, which is equivalent to no more than seven sugar cubes a day. Constantine drew parallels between her sugar consumption and her previous drinking behavior before getting sober 13 years ago, citing the secrecy, obsession, and the feeling that her day revolved around the next "hit."
Constantine, whose mother also struggled with alcoholism, first spoke about her own drinking problem in 2020, stating she had been in recovery for seven years at that point. She recalled an incident at a friend's 40th birthday party where she was so intoxicated her husband had to escort her home. This experience, along with years of waking up with shame and guilt, prompted her to seek help.
She described the relief she felt upon attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings and realizing she was not alone in her experiences. Constantine stated that AA saved her life and encouraged others facing similar issues to know they are not alone.