Jodie Kidd bares all as Lady Godiva and says her active life means she’ll always be ‘lanky’

 
Undressage: Jodie Kidd poses as Lady Godiva in a photoshoot (Picture: Women’s Health / John Wright)
Women’s Health/John Wright
Alistair Foster31 July 2015
The Weekender

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Jodie Kidd has declared she is happier with her body now than when she was as a supermodel — and proved it by posing as Lady Godiva in a striking photoshoot.

The model-turned-presenter says she feels much better for being “toned and strong” and is delighted that “fit is the new thin”.

Kidd, now 36, rose to fame during the Nineties, earning the nickname “Lanky” for her height — she is 6ft 2in — and slender frame.

But she faced criticism for being too thin, at one point weighing less than eight stone.

She told Women’s Health magazine: “My nickname is Lanky — I’m 6ft 2in of gangly long limbs. Whatever I eat, I burn off.

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“Horse-riding, golf, hiking — being active has always come naturally to me, so I never put weight on when I was younger. Fortunately, the ‘waif’ look was hot for models in the Nineties. But because of my thin frame, there was constant speculation I had an eating disorder.

“Actually, I was mentally cracking under the scrutiny and simply had no appetite. Each time I stepped onto the catwalk, panic descended. It was a vicious circle — but one I bounced back from as soon as I got out of the industry.”

Kidd, who has been tipped to join the new Top Gear line-up, believes today’s trends are much healthier. She said: “I love that fit is the new thin — it’s all more wholesome and health-focused than it was in the Nineties.

“I’ll always be Lanky, but nowadays, I’m also tight, toned and strong. And I feel better about myself now than I ever did as a supermodel.”

Kidd said motherhood had also changed how she felt about her body. She has a three-year-old son, Indio, from her relationship with Argentinian polo player Andrea Vianini.

This month: Jodie Kidd features in the issue
Woman's Health Magazine

She explained: “Pregnancy was a complete 360. I suddenly had sexy boobs and hips I’d never had before. Yes, I was soft around the edges, but I felt womanly.

“I kept telling myself I’d start getting in shape the next day and then had another glass of wine with my pizza. I was happy after my son was born; there was no hurry.

“Gradually, simply being active on the farm where I live, going on long walks and sporadic gym sessions got me back in shape.”

The full interview appears in the September Naked Issue of Women’s Health, on sale tomorrow. Also available in digital edition on Apple Newsstand.

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