The ex fattie

Dieting Gary Barlow eats apart from judges to beat temptation

Take Fat ... Gary Barlow's tubby days, left, and his new skinny frame, right

SLIMLINE Gary Barlow eats alone away from the other X Factor judges — to avoid straying from his “obsessive” diet.

The Take That star — who once ballooned to 17 STONE — has special carrot, beetroot and lemongrass smoothies brought to him at specific times.
The X Factor chef prepares his meals — including a vegetable medley — and he avoids the canteen where Simon Cowell, Tulisa Contostavlos and Louis Walsh eat.
Gary has also banned sugar, caffeine and even milk from his diet, drinking peppermint tea instead.
A source said: “It’s fair to say he is obsessive about his food and will do whatever it takes to avoid temptation. He has even requested he sit away from the other judges when they eat so he is not distracted from his vegetables and lean protein meals. Simon thinks it’s hilarious.”
Gary, 41, has spoken openly about his weight loss.
In his Take That days he was the butt of Robbie Williams’ jokes as “the fat one”. When they split in 1996, 5ft 9in Gary said he comfort ate to cope with depression.
He added: “For someone so big I felt incredibly small.”
Since the band came back in 2005, Gary has lost a staggering five stone.
Last year he was criticised for encouraging his X Factor acts to shed weight to improve their chances.
Chubby contestant Craig Colton said he lost a stone in a week on Gary’s diet.