Cheryl Cole's extreme diet

06-01-2009 06:00

Cheryl Cole went on an extreme diet after her weight ballooned.

The Girls Aloud singer admits she broke down in tears and turned to the controversial Atkins diet after she discovering she had a 29-inch waist in the band's early days.

In the first year of Girls Aloud, I went up to a 29in waist

The 25-year old said: "In the first year of Girls Aloud, I went up to a 29in waist. I remember crying because I was 133lbs when I'm only 5ft 3in.

"Jennifer Aniston was doing the Atkins diet at the time and I thought I'd give it a try. I remember I ate the same thing - chicken in cream sauce with a couple of carrots - every night for weeks. I felt just horrible, but I was on this mission."

The Atkins diet is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate eating plan, which became very popular among both celebrities and the public in the early part of this decade.

Speculation about Cheryl's possible weight problems has been rife since it was revealed her soccer star husband Ashley Cole had cheated on her last year.

While she now says her marriage is back on track, the 25-year-old pop beauty admits she is prone to worrying.