SO the thin lasses have finally woken up and smelt the full-fat double espresso latte with mocha topping and double cream.

After years of starving themselves and making the rest of us feel like baby elephants - celebrities are finally turning their backs on diets.

No longer are the great and good advocating hours at the gym followed by a plate of limp lettuce - now healthy eating and sensible exercise are the in thing.

The most surprising new advocate of being slim rather than scrawny is Geri Halliwell.

The Spice Girl, who launched her solo career by revealing a new tiny size six look, has piled the pounds back on.

She claimed that her six pack and flat chest were down to yoga and even released a video to get us all bending our way to a smaller size - but then she revealed she had actually being battling with eating disorders for years.

Fast-forward 12 months and look how the ginger one has grown! Photographed standing in a London street Geri proudly grabbed her stomach to show friends just how many inches she could now pinch.

Her tops are yet again plunging to show off two best assets and she looks like a young, confident healthy woman.

Who cares whether Geri's new look is down to her finding love or just rediscovering a roast dinner? What matters is that she looks fab and is finally sending a great message about body image to her young fans.

Geri isn't the only one to have seen the light when it comes to weighty issues.

Gail Porter has revealed that years of anorexia (which only ended with her recent marriage) have left her body ravaged and she now must take drugs for the rest of her life.

Not so long ago everyone in the country had seen Gail naked - a nude picture was even projected onto the side of the Houses of Parliament. But now it seems that tiny waist and pert bottom were a world away from the sexy images she portrayed and were in fact the result of years of self-abuse.

At least now she has spoken out and is pleading with other women to use her story as a warning - extreme dieting may make heads turn but it can kill you.

Over in America, Catherine Zeta Jones is threatening to sue the after her name was linked to the non-carb Atkins diet.

There had been claims that Catherine's amazing weight loss after both her pregnancies was down to the Atkins but she is appalled by the very suggestion.

As concerns over the health risks of the controversial diet grow Catherine wants everyone to know she got her figure back thanks to sensible eating and a lot of hard work in the gym.

She is angry at being linked with the meat-filled diet and is so proud of turning her back on fads she is willing to go to court to prove it.

Then there's the likes of Denise Van Outen and Claire Sweeny who are devastated that gruelling schedules and cabaret-style theatre performances have not only taken inches off their tums but also their womanly boobs and hips.

Sadly some famous women are still struggling to follow the latest trend.

Diva singer Beyonce caused outrage recently when she revealed she only eats a few slices of cucumber and tomato for lunch.

She said without this rabbit diet the fat woman inside her would burst out - where exactly is she keeping this fat alter-ego? Under her hair which is arguably the biggest thing about her?

But do not fear - even Beyonce has seen the error of her ways - this time thanks to her mum.

After reading about her daughter's crazy diet, Mum ordered Beyonce (international superstar or not) to start eating properly or face her wrath. Maybe if more famous mothers spoke up we could get rid of all those red carpet waifs starving themselves to get our attention but failing to earn our respect.

Published: 26/11/2003