The Ledge - Article: Stevie Nicks Amazing Weight Loss

Jenny over at BN posted this new Australian article. Not sure if it has already been posted. Interesting read about Stevie's weight battle.

I converted the measurements.

Stevie Nicks Amazing Weight Loss

Nicks kicks the kilosBy Fleur Mitchell
Australian New Idea Weekly Magazine
Monday February 13, 2006

As she prepares to tour Australia, blonde rocker Stevie Nicks has ditched the fad diets and shed her excess kilos with sensible eating habits.

----------------
Large Photo of Stevie-From the shoulders up: Taken by this magazine.(She is absolutely beautiful!! Looking so happy) To the right, smaller photo, younger-baby face looking Stevie, in a white lace shawl. Caption saying "At the height of her fame, she was a fresh-faced beauty. A healthy Stevie nowadays (left).
----------------

On the eve of her national Australian tour, rock 'n' rock legend Stevie Nicks says she's finally happy in her own skin, thanks to ditching a diet which made her miserable for 10 years.

The petite 155cm (5'1") singer, who at one point weighed just 48kg (105 lbs.) says she was finally forced to admit the controversial Atkins Diet wasn't working for her when her weight ballooned to 76kg (167 lbs.) in late 2004. At that point she decided to go on the same Weight Watchers eating plan as Sarah Ferguson and, for the first time in a decade, she saw her weight drop to 66kg (145 lbs.). 'I'm so much happier, I can't tell you. It's like my whole life has started over,' Stevie recently told New Idea. 'In my mind I've been heavy for a long time. But I think I look pretty good now. When I'm back from Australia, I'm going to attack the last 5kg (10 lbs.).'

The singer who has waged a harrowing 20-year battle with her body, including several drug addictions, says she hit rock bottom at the end of Fleetwood Mac's world tour in 2004. Bloated, depressed and tired of squeezing into stomach-flattening corsets, she knew she would have to deal with her self-image issues. Like so many other times Stevie realised she was addicted-this time to an eating plan which restricts carbohydrates and certain foods. 'I was terrified to go off the Atkins,' the 57-year-old admits. 'When you get into its mindset, you're terrified to even have a potato. Then if you want to go off it to try another diet, you're even more terrified you'll gain weight.'

Stevie says she finally 'woke up' while flicking through a magazine with Liz Rosenberg, the agent she and Madonna share. 'I said to Liz: "We're too old to wear these clothes," and she said: No Stevie, we're just too fat to wear these clothes." I looked her and suddenly this light bulb went off. I said to myself: "That's it-it's over. I'm losing this weight."'

With Weight Watchers' help, Stevie started to eat a sensible and a wide range of foods every 3 hours, 5 times a day, to get her metabolism on track. She also now treadmills 50 minutes, 3 times - 4 times a week. With her increased energy, Stevie now says she gets more out of performing than ever. She says she can't wait to showcase her greatest hits for her Aussie fans in a stage show that has had critics raving.

Stevie now swears by her weight-loss plan saying: 'Once you get the swing of it, it's brilliant - the weight just falls off.

It's so good to go out to dinner again and to eat great foods like strawberries, blueberries, rice, grain and oatmeal.'

In contrast, the singer doesn't mince words about the Atkins plan which Jessica Simpson also blasted, saying it messed her up, mentally.

'The Atkins is a stupid diet,' Stevie says. 'It backfires on you so badly because your body thinks you're starving it. So your body doesn't trust you and won't give up one pound! I never had a single piece of fruit, grains or anything good for the 10 years I was on it and I weighed 76kg. (168 lbs.)'

Stevie says she first started disliking her body as a teenager in the '60s. 'Even at 48kg (105 lbs.), I was absolutely sure I was fat,' she says. 'I always lusted to be 170cm (5'6") and a size 8. To not be short and plimp, as I saw it.'

However her weight issue didn't take a grip until she completed a stint at the Betty Ford Clinic in 1986 after beating a longstanding addiction to cocaine.

'I went from about 52kg (115 lbs.) to 63kg (140 lbs.), and then 70kg (155 lbs.). That's another reason not to do coke. When you stop, your metabolism is messed up. I don't think you ever completely get it back. If I'd never done drugs I don't think I would have ever had an issue with my weight.

CALLOUT: "You think when you're 50 you're not going to care, but you will care"

However Stevie's weight battle was only compounded when she then became addicted to the prescription tranquillizer Klonopin.

More health battles arose when she had her silicone breast implants removed which let to bouts of chronic fatigue and Epstein-Barr syndrome.

Stevie eventually managed to kick her drug habit again but resigned herself to living with an unhealthy body. She says she even looked forward to menopause figuring her looks wouldn't matter by then. "But I was wrong,' she says. 'You think when you're 50 it's over. You're not going to care. But you will care. You realise it matters to look pretty. But your hormones go crazy and by then it's even harder to lose weight.' Although she's now full of energy and looking better than ever, Stevie says there's currently no time for romance in her life. "I made a decision a long time ago that I didn't want to be married, because I'm basically a selfish artist who wants to do my work.'

If she does find love again, Stevie says she's strong enough to finally show someone who she really is. 'Before, I was definitely two people. On the road I was this glamorous star wearing corsets, having my hair and make-up done every day. But at home I was another person. An older, heavier person which was very depressing. Now it's different. I feel I'm on an exiting journey.'

Stevie Nicks' Gold Dust Tour begins in Melbourne on February 18.
For further information visit www.tickettek.com.au

Bottom of page-Photo of Chrissy, John, Mick, Stevie & Lindsay (I've never seen this photo) Caption saying: "Stevie in her Fleetwood Mac days.

=============
The Rise and Fall Of Stevie Nicks' Weight

Photos of Stevie
1.- 1976 - Aged 28 Photo -I've never seen this photo before- She's wearing a white T/Shirt, red skirt, red sockings, and large platform fawn open sandals with the caption saying "In her youth, Stevie believed she was fat - even at 48kg. (105 lbs.)

2.- "1987" - Aged 39 Stapless V-shaped black dress with gold braiding down the front, black tassels, fluffy hair-do and a great smile. Caption saying "The star hid her poor self image with glam outfits"

3.- "2002" - Aged 54 The normal looking Stevie as what we see her
today. Caption saying "After years of dieting, Stevie was still bloated"

4.- "2005" - Aged 57 NBC Today Show Hurricane Katrina Project (Sept). Caption saying "With a healthy eating plan she's looking great".
===========