Corrie's Claire Sweeney reveals health secret after losing 4 stone – and it's not dieting
Claire Sweeney, who plays Cassandra Plummer in Coronation Street, has opened up about her new approach to her health and wellbeing as she gets older
Coronation Street's Claire Sweeney has swapped dieting for a fresh health regime after shedding four stone. The 53-year-old actress used to make annual promises to hit the gym or start a new diet every festive season.
However, she confesses her perspective has changed as she's aged. This shift came after Claire lost a significant amount of weight during the intense training for Dancing on Ice.
She participated in the show with skater Colin Grafton in January 2024.
Reflecting on her past, she said: "I looked back to when I used to host 60 Minute Makeover and I didn't realise what good nick my physique was in. That was my goal. I had two pictures on my phone. One of me fat and one of how I wanted to look."
In a chat with Best magazine, Claire disclosed her desire to get fit, often making a new year's resolution to start a new diet. However, this year saw the star embracing a more mindful approach.
She elaborated: "I was watching a documentary with Joan Plowright and she said she wished she'd discovered mindfulness years ago. It really resonated with me.
"I went on holiday at Christmas and every morning I'd get up at 6.30am and go for a long walk along the beach and listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast. I'm learning loads from it."
Claire reveals she has gained a wealth of knowledge about meditation and decided to concentrate on mindfulness in 2025. This led her to the decision to "stay in the moment".
While hitting the gym may not be Claire's primary objective for the year, she does enjoy maintaining a regular exercise routine. She confesses to enjoying "a little bit of everything" during her gym sessions.
She further added: "It's just about staying healthy and strong when you get older. I'm not worried about being a size eight."
Previously, Claire had mentioned that she, like many others, noticed an increase in her weight during the coronavirus lockdowns. Despite admitting that she "b****y loves food", she expressed a desire to "feel fitter."
In a social media post, she stated: "Love being curvy, but wanna feel fitter, stronger and shifting a little bit of timber won't go amiss."
Claire first gained popularity through her role in the Liverpool-based soap opera Brookside. Since then, she has appeared in shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, Celebrity Big Brother, and Holby City. In 2023, she joined the cast of Coronation Street as Cassandra Plummer.