04-05-98: My diet hell, by Ginger Geri -- "Sunday People"
GINGER Spice Geri Halliwell suffered from eating disorders when she was a teenager. Geri, now 24, was working as a club dancer. She said: "I was about 17 or 18 and I'd never thought about my figure or questioned my shape - but then a couple of the other dancers started commenting I was a bit plump. "I went on a diet. That was the biggest mistake of my life. Diets are a trap. They are the start of a vicious circle that doesn't get you anywhere. "I wouldn't only blame my eating problems on the pressure from society to be skinny. They're hard to understand - but problems with food can often be symptoms of your lack of self-esteem, lack of love or the desire to fill a need. Bulimia can be a result of feeling unable to express your hate, love or anger. I wouldn't like to generalise but I think all eating disorders, including anorexia, have a lot to do with control. "If you feel that your eating patterns are becoming compulsive you should try and step out of yourself and take a look at why it's happening. The problem is often much deeper-rooted than you think. The best thing you can do is tell someone. That, in itself, is a release if you find the right person to tell. "A lot of people don't understand it at all. They think it's easy just to eat your three meals a day but it's not that easy. You can go round and round in circles. Quick-fix diets don't work. You always end up the same weight in the end anyway. If you're worried about how good you look, I can honestly say that you're just as sexy with a bit of meat on you, as long as you're not hung up about it." Sporty Spice Mel C admits that she too has faced problems with eating. She revealed: "At one point I got a bit compulsive about eating properly and going to the gym all the time but I've got over it. Now I believe in everything in moderation. "Don't think I wanna be slim so the lads like me, because it's not true. We've said it so many times.lads like something to get hold of!"