EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy, best known for playing Sonia Fowler since 1993, has undergone a remarkable weight loss transformation, dropping from a size 16 to a size 8. The 37-year-old actress credits her success to a 'boring' but effective routine of eating well, exercising, and drinking plenty of water.
Cassidy's weight has fluctuated over the years. She previously lost four stone for a £100,000 fitness DVD deal, only to regain the weight within eight weeks. Speaking on the Comfort Eating with Grace Dent podcast, she admitted: 'I was very overweight and they approached me... I was like happy days, let's go for it. But it wasn't the right thing to do.'
Her latest weight loss of 42 pounds has been more sustainable. She told The Sun: 'I cut out rubbish. I cut down on alcohol too, even though I love white wine.' She has also sworn off takeaways and reduced her mayonnaise intake, joking: 'If it wasn't for mayonnaise, I'd look like a supermodel!'
Cassidy completed the London Marathon in 2019 in memory of her late co-star Dame Barbara Windsor. She credited her running group for keeping her motivated, saying on the RunPod podcast: 'We've suddenly become this little team of people and we're so close.'
Reflecting on her journey, Cassidy said: 'I feel very at ease with myself now, as I've got older. Throughout the years I've gone through a lot of ups and downs. Now, I just know the simple things that work – eat well, exercise, drink lots of water.'
