Claire Sweeney has dropped two dress sizes and got her confidence back after going on a rigorous fitness regime.

The television presenter managed to shed a stone in just seven weeks.

She went from 11st 2lb to 10st (size 12-14 to a 10) after exercising three times a week.

Before and after: Claire Sweeney has lost a stone in seven weeks and dropped two dress sizes after going on a diet

Speaking to this week's Closer magazine, who she did the diet with, Claire said: 'My leg is like rock! I’m solid muscle.'

It’s no surprise the glamorous presenter and singer, 38, is so keen to show off her body.

'I haven’t been this toned since I was in Chicago 10 years ago,' says the 5ft 8in star.

'My bum is high and curved, my waist has slimmed right down and my cheekbones are more defined. I wasn’t looking forward to posing in a bikini, but I don’t look too bad!'

Claire, who found fame in TV soap Brookside, had been struggling to get back in shape after appearing in a documentary in which she tried to gain as much weight as possible to highlight the dangers of overeating.

On My Big Fat Diet, which aired just over a year ago, Claire went from 9st 12lb to 11st 10lb. 'The weight gain was so quick,' said Claire, who ditched her healthy lifestyle to indulge in custard slices and burgers.

'I took my foot off the brake and gained 2st in six weeks. But I had a ball doing it!'

Claire pictured in January 2009 in the TV show My Big Fat Diet where she piled on the pounds, showing hear how difficult exercise was with extra weight

Once filming finished, Claire was faced with shedding the extra pounds – and although she initially lost a stone with WeightWatchers and doing weekly sessions with British Military Fitness, her weight loss stalled at 11st 2lb.

'I really loved doing BMF, but the early starts killed me!” she says. At first, being a size 14 didn’t bother the TV presenter as it brought with it an unexpected benefit.

'I’ve never been chatted up so much,' laughs Claire, who is currently single but dating.

'I think there was a softness to me because my confidence had gone, and men found that vulnerability appealing. I remember one guy saying: "You’re glowing." I realised bigger doesn’t mean unattractive.'

Yet as the months went by, she began to long for her old figure. 'Secretly, it was getting me down,' says Claire.

'I felt older and I couldn’t wear 60 per cent of my clothes. I wanted to wear my beautiful Roland Mouret fitted dresses and skinny jeans, but nothing fitted.'

So just after Christmas Claire started working with personal trainer Sarah Williams and embarked on a Closer diet devised by nutritionist Juliette Kellow.

Since then, the actress has been training three times a week in a park near her London home. The hour-long sessions involve a run and then a series of exercises, including squats, jumping jacks and boxing.

The full interview is in Closer magazine

'I hated running, so we built it up slowly and now I can run comfortably for an hour.

'My best tip is to go running with a buddy. Or listen to a book on your iPod. I run to Ozzy Osbourne’s life story!'

'I feel loads better these days,' she says. 'But I find losing weight harder now. If I’d trained this hard five years ago I’d have been a rake by now!'

Not that heading towards 40 worries her. Claire admits having Botox injections to smooth her forehead but won’t have more radical treatments.

'Fillers? No way,' she says firmly. 'I use Crystal Clear facial products and I’ve inherited my mum’s great skin, so hopefully I won’t need to do anything else. I see pictures of myself in my 20s and I think I look better now.'

Claire’s been single since splitting from her long-term partner in 2007. But she jokes that should she decide she wants a child, she has plenty of opportunity, saying: 'I’ve got lots of gay friends who keep offering to father a baby for me!'