Nigella Lawson unveils secret to hourglass curves by shedding the pounds after Christmas

Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, 61, is known for her peculiar and sometimes controversial recipes, so her secret to losing weight after Christmas may come as a surprise to many. And the answer is indulging in even more food.

As a new year begins, so does the annual food regret, but Nigella believes those wanting to shift their festive pounds should “eat well” in controlled portions and not deny themselves culinary pleasure by dieting.

The TV cook called self-denial of food “charmless” and insisted new year diets shouldn’t include deprivation.

In a recent interview, she explained her theory: “I have always found self-denial one of the more charmless of the virtues.

“I suggest, rather, a streamlined voluptuousness – in food and, as it happens, for me.

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Sharing the details to her Instagram page, which has a staggering 2.6 million followers, she wrote: “I know this hardly looks like my kind of cooking, but that’s because it isn’t!

“Along with my @hgwalter butchers’ order, I got a heavenly premade (by @pierre.koffmann, no less) pig’s trotter with proper French mash and Madeira gravy (oh, ok then: jus).”

Nigella said she steamed and sliced the trotters and warmed up the mash and sauce.

“The cavolo nero is my own little contribution. Different for me, but richly delish,” she added.