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UK Marie Claire August 1998 Geri: The Real Woman Nobody knows better than Geri Halliwell how it feels to be the target of constant public scrutiny. Now that she's her own woman, she talks here for the first time about her body image and why she's happy about the way she looks. "No one is ever completely satisfied with their body. That's just human nature. Whether you're a supermodel or the fattest person in the world, everybody wants to change something about the way they look. 'When I was preparing for this shoot I found myself thinking, "Right, I'd better get on a diet and lose some weight." But then I decided that I would be an absolute hypocrite if I tried to starve myself to be something I'm not. I'm finally learning to accept my body size. I'm at a stage in my life when I have to accept things the way they are and just do my best. You should never try to be anything you're not. I feel very balanced as a person now. My body feels right. I eat right. I don't overindulge. I'm happy as long as I can fit into my clothes and they're not too tight. 'There's nothing wrong with self-improvement: for example, going to the gym, trying to eat more healthily or wanting to have a glamorous', slim figure. But it's a question of finding an equilibrium and avoiding extremes. It's your attitude to your body that counts. If you're overweight and happy, that's fine - and, equally, we shouldn't be prejudiced against people who are extremely thin. They go through exactly the same doubts and insecurities as the rest of us. No one has the right to judge anyone else. 'I have tried everything to lose weight - food combining, not eating late at night or having a heavy break-fast. To some degree, this works because you are conscious of what you are consuming. I know through experience that starvation diets do not work. Anyone who starves themselves and is skinny for a year will end up bigger than when they started because it's not their true body weight. Basically, I just try to be kind to my body by not depriving myself of food and by eating healthily. I have three meals a day and I make sure I eat plenty of protein and vegetables. I don't watch how much I am eating, but I will compromise by eating large amounts of salad. 'In the morning, I'm normally not that hungry, so I will have fruit. Then at lunch-time I'll have a huge salad and chicken. In the evening, I'll have something like fish and vegetables. But then I have days when I just want to eat junk food like crisps and chocolate. I think that is healthy, That is a healthy, balanced diet. I don't eat red meat, not because I disagree with eating meat, but because when I was younger I couldn't afford to buy it. But I think there is nothing sexier than a woman in a restaurant ordering a big steak. It sort of says "I love life and I am going to enjoy it". it almost symbolises power - "I want to have my steak and eat it'. 'Food has got a lot to do with love. For example, if you were ill when you were little your mother would bring you a nice boiled egg and soldiers or hot chicken soup - At mealtimes families have happy times or there are arguments - food can be a very emotional thing. , Eating compulsions and disorders are just symptoms of low self-worth. It's like being a gambler or a heroin addict - you recover as you mature and your self-confidence grows. It doesn't happen overnight, it's a gradual process - you let go and realise there are more important things in life. We only truly evolve as people when we dare to get to know ourselves and remove the layers we hide behind: the make-up, the hair, the clothes, the image. You just have to do your best to sort it out, 'At the moment I am a size ten, which is what I'm comfortable with. That is about right for someone who is 5ft 1 in. When you're small you can't carry a lot of weight. 'I know that I am of some interest to the media and realise that this has its good and bad points. Like anybody, I'm human, and when people have criticised my body or said something nasty it hurts. It can be quite dehumanising. 'One newspaper referred to me as Podge Spice on one page and on the next page ran a story about the problems of anorexia and bulimia in young children. I think that's so irresponsible. 'The press can also be very good and you can use it positively. When The Sun found out about my breast cancer scare I decided to turn it into something positive. It became an opportunity to tell women to watch out for breast cancer. My mum told me that a ten-year-old girl read that article and checked her chest and found a lump. It turned out to be benign, but at least the article had educated her and encouraged her to do something about it. 'I learnt a lot from the cancer scare I had when I was eighteen. I had to face the possibility that even though I was young, fit and healthy I could have had my breast removed. We should treat our body with the respect it deserves. 'I think it's good to exercise - it's really healthy for your mind and body, but it should be something you enjoy. I love running. When I am on a running machine it is like meditating, and it's when I have had some of my best creative ideas. 'People in LA spend a lot of money on looking good - on personal trainers and on buying the right kinds of food and eating healthily, It costs a fortune. The average working mother hasn't got time to think about her diet. It takes a lot of energy to look good. It can be a waste of energy as well. 'The only ideal is what is ideal for you as an individual. I really don't know what I think about plastic surgery because who can predict how I might feel in twenty years' time? If I lost a breast to cancer, who knows how I might feel? 'I think everyone has about six roles in life. They may be a mother, a lover, a manager, a daughter, a carer, a friend. We take on roles in our life. On stage, I am a performer - that is just one element of my personality, and one I enjoy very much. Every day I can be someone else. I can put on my power suit and go for it, or I can put on a slinky little number. I may decide I want to be chic, or to be pretty and girly. I don't like labels. They're dangerous and lazy. I was called Sexy Spice obviously because of my past. If people find me sexy, that's great. It is a mood rather than how I see myself. It all comes down to self- esteem and hormones. I don't think anyone wakes up every morning and thinks, "Hey, I'm sexy today." I just get up and think about trying to make the best of myself. 'As far as men go, you attract what you subconsciously believe you deserve. I've found my boyfriends have improved. I think that is due to growing self-esteem. Last night I watched It's A Wonderful Life, with James Stewart. It's one of my favourite movies. He thinks his life is so bad that he wishes he had never been born. And then the angel shows him how the world would have been if he hadn't been born, and he realises how many people he touched in his life. And when you look at life like that you think, "Well, actually, there is so much more out there that is positive and far more satisfying than your outward body image." It is how you do it, more than what you are. That's what makes you who you are. 'If you look at the bigger picture you develop a sense of humour about the whole thing. You might think that it is a big deal, but actually it is not that important. 'It is very easy to criticise people. But life is more about people's passion rather than their ability. Statistics show that we only recognise ten per cent of our true talents, so just imagine what could be achieved if we loved ourselves enough to be exactly who we are. You can be the worst singer in the world or the most inarticulate speaker, but it doesn't matter as long as you have heart. It's more about attitude and how you project it. The best speakers, the best actors, the best performers, the best politicians aren't necessarily the most qualified. They are the ones who are just honest. That's what I think. QUESTION TIME: Favourite Food: Garlic or sushi Favourite Tipple: Sherry, preferable sweet. When I was little I used to swig it out of my mother's bottle. I like Jack Daniels as well. Favourite form of relaxation: Going out for a nice meal and chatting. Favourite holiday: Half of me would just like to lie on a beach and do nothing. The other half would like to climb the Puruvian mountains, the Himalayas or something. Where would you like to be in ten years? I'm still thinking. I'll just wait and see what happens. All I know at the moment is that the future is all about my imagination. Who is the sexiest man you know? I think there are sexier women than there are men. Who was your first love? George Michael. I used to snog a poster of him on my wall. I thought I was going to marry him. I liked his turned-up nose. What's your most embarrassing moment? I've had so many I don't find them embarrassing any more. I have tripped up in front of 10,000 people. I've always been clumsy and a clown - it's just one of those things. Favourite Shops: I get my clothes anywhere. I'm not a label slave. I'll pay anything from £2 to £20 to £200 to £2,000. I love Stella McCartney - I think she is really good.