Susanna Reid opened up about getting older in an exclusive interview for our February issue, admitting that she ‘isn’t fighting’ it and has ‘no fear’ of ageing.
The 53-year-old British TV legend, who has presented ITV’s Good Morning Britain since 2014, revealed that ageing isn’t a concern for her and she’s all for “ageing gracefully” – with the help of feeling fabulous inside and a new bob haircut.
The mum-of-three, who co-parents sons Sam, 21, Finn, 19, and Jack, 18, with former partner Dominic Cotton, added that she’s thriving when it comes to life in her 50s thanks to the “thick skin” she has developed.
“Women, especially in television, are completely embracing ageing gracefully, which means we’re not fighting it. We’re accepting it, welcoming it and enjoying it,” she told us.
“All the women on Good Morning Britain are looking better and better than we did. We’ve got a brilliant styling team, but it is also an attitude thing. It’s like no one’s afraid of ageing, so you inhabit it, rather than resist it. I have literally no fear of getting older.
“I think every day is fabulous,” Susanna declared.
The former BBC Breakfast host, who fronted the show from 2003 to 2014, also revealed that imposter syndrome has been banished from her life now, thanks to the self-assurance that came with entering a new decade.
“People often talk about impostor syndrome, but when you’ve got to your 50s, you know what you’re doing, and that gives you more confidence.”
And the confidence doesn’t just come from within for Susanna, as she revealed something as simple as cutting her hair short helped her to feel revamped.
She said, “I feel different since I had my hair cut. I wanted to do something different and fresh and, yes, I just feel a bit lighter. A new cut lifts everything and that’s what we’re after when we’re ageing. A lift!”
And while she says she doesn’t know exactly how much weight she has lost, Susanna shared that she “feels better” for cutting down on the extra snacking that becomes a habit when working on morning TV.
“I don’t know how much weight I’ve lost, but I feel a bit better. Eamonn Holmes once said that when you’re on breakfast television, it feels like you have six breakfasts a day,” Susanna explained, adding, “You’re awake for so much longer, you can end up eating more, and because you’re so tired in the afternoon – I’m not playing the violin for myself here, it’s just facts – mid-afternoon munchies can involve a lot of carbs.”
For her, slimming down has been a result of trying to snack less while away from her super early starts.
“In the summer, when I wasn’t presenting Good Morning Britain, I said to myself, ‘You’re not getting up at 3.45am, so you can cut down on how much you’re consuming.’ As a result, I lost some of the weight that I’ve been hanging on to,” Susanna told us.
“Since going back to work, I’ve had to try not to fall back into the same habits. Essentially, it’s about not snacking. I’m trying, trying, trying not to!”
You can read Susanna’s full exclusive interview with woman&home in the February issue of the magazine, on shelves from January 4th.