Jenni Falconer has not eaten crisps or chips for 34 years due to her dedication to fitness, admitting ‘I’ve never even tried a Pringle or had a McDonald’s.’
The TV and radio presenter, 48, told MailOnline she was bet £1 by her mother that she couldn’t go a week without eating crisps or chips but she’s now gone her entire adult life avoiding the deep fried snack and fast food, meaning there are some brands she has never even tried.
In an exclusive interview, the avid marathon runner revealed that her lifestyle, including waking up at 4am to present Smooth Radio’s breakfast show, means she has to be disciplined, although she does treat herself to a ‘margarita’ on occasion with friends.
After taking up running when she was 19, the star says she no longer exercises to ‘look good’ but for the long-term benefits it has on her mental health, and she’s relieved the days of skinny-worshiping ‘heroin chic’ are in the past.
She’s also thankful her daughter Ella, 12, won’t be influenced by ‘fitness DVDs’ and ‘aerobics’ now that influencers promote weightlifting and training in the gym is considered popular.
Jenni Falconer has not eaten crisps or chips for 34 years due to her dedication to fitness, admitting ‘I’ve never even tried a Pringle or had a McDonald’s’
The presenter told MailOnline she was bet £1 by her mother that she couldn’t go a week without eating crisps or chips but she’s now gone her entire adult life avoiding fast food
In an exclusive interview, the avid marathon runner revealed that her lifestyle, including waking up at 4am to present Smooth Radio’s breakfast show, means she has to be disciplined
Jenni said: ‘I am quite good with my discipline to be honest.
‘I have a strict work schedule in the week, I am up at 4am, I juggle a few jobs, I’m training for the marathon, I go to the gym and play golf so when I meet my friends on the weekend, I do allow myself a margarita… but I am the type of person that if you challenge me, I will absolutely stick to it.
‘When I was 14 my mum bet me a £1 that I couldn’t stop eating crisps and chips, which were two things I loved, and so I did it… I quit them… and now it’s 34 years later and I still haven’t eaten them.
‘Since I quit crisps, there has been Pringles and Kettle Chips, they weren’t even around when I quit crisps. I never have fries… I have never had a McDonald’s.’
Jenni, whose brand-new book Runner’s High is out on Thursday, started running aged 19 after she struggled to ‘recognise’ herself in clothes because her busy routine prevented her from doing regular exercise.
Since then, she has fallen in love with running, competing in races such as the London Marathon and the Royal Park Half Marathon, and her motivation goes beyond the positive impact it has on her body.
She said: ‘I had just turned 19 when I started working in television, almost 30 years ago. I was at University in Leeds and working in Scotland so a mixture of the two was quite time-consuming.
‘No one went to the gym back then… I didn’t do any exercise and I started to get really unfit and I didn’t recognise myself in my clothes. One day I decided I needed to do something because I didn’t want to become unhealthy.
Jenni, whose brand-new book Runner’s High is out on Thursday, started running aged 19 after she struggled to ‘recognise’ herself in clothes because her busy routine prevented her from doing regular exercise
Since then, she has fallen in love with running, competing in races such as the London Marathon and the Royal Park Half Marathon
Jenni, who presented This Morning in 2011 during Holly Willoughby’s maternity leave, believes there shouldn’t be one body type and as well as running, she lifts weight in the gym to maintain her strong physique
‘My whole attitude and reason for running has entirely changed. When I first started yes, it was to tone up and lose a few pounds but running and exercise is way more than that.
‘Nowadays I don’t exercise for weight loss. I want to be healthy and active and live a long healthy life. I want to feel good rather than look good, obviously looking good would be lovely but feeling good is more important.
‘After a run you look like an absolute mess, I have a bright red face, sweaty face, salt crusted around my mouth, I probably stink of BO, but I feel amazing and that’s why I do it.’
The mother-of-one, who presented This Morning in 2011 during Holly Willoughby’s maternity leave, believes there shouldn’t be one body type and as well as running, she lifts weight in the gym to maintain her strong physique.
‘It’s quite an antiquated belief now’, she added.
‘I remember there was a time when ‘heroin chic’ was on the catwalk… I can’t begin to imagine that now. I love the fact that my little girl is growing up now, there’s no focus on size but it’s about being active and healthy, I’m happy attitudes have shifted.
‘To compliment my running and to stay toned, I do weight training twice a week because as I get older, you do need to do weights and heavy weights because you need to make sure your body is strong enough to carry you on through life.
‘For years we have been encouraged to do fitness DVDs and aerobics, but more people need to do weight training. With Instagram everyone is becoming more aware of strength training.’
The mother-of-one revealed her husband ‘stopped drinking alcohol 18 months ago’ and is ‘eating clean’ in a bid to stay as healthy as possible
Despite looking ‘red faced’, ‘sweaty’ and ‘smelling like BO’ after her long-distance runs, Jenni says she loves putting her fitness to the test
The TV star says her new book Runner’s High is a ‘manual’ for new runners but will also appeal to those already dedicated to achieving their goals
Jenni describes her new book as a ‘manual’ for new runners but says the emotional stories told by her celebrity guests including Ruth Langsford and Sara Davies will appeal to those already dedicated to achieving their fitness goals.
The RunPod host shares her expertise and offers advice to anyone struggling with motivation and reassures, ‘It is very doable for most people.’
She said: ‘I have written a book about a topic that I bore people to death with on a daily basis.
‘But when you discover running it becomes the thing you are passionate about, and it doesn’t matter what level you’re at… if you enjoy the feel-good effect of running, that’s the biggest challenge there… getting out there and enjoying it.
‘It’s a brilliant exercise to do, it’s free, you can fit it in whenever you want, you can fit it in on your own, you can be fast or slow and run far or not very far at all, no one judges you.’
- RUNNER’S HIGH by Jenni Falconer published by Orion Spring available 14th March 2024 in Paperback, eBook and audio £16.99