Mel B exclusive: I miss my six pack!

The straight-talking X Factor judge is determined to get her taut tummy back.

Before falling pregnant with her third child, Melanie Brown was in the best shape of her life. A stint on the US version of Dancing With The Stars, the gruelling Spice Girls reunion tour and starring in her own fitness DVD had honed her sleek pop star’s body to perfection, and regular exercise and a healthy diet kept her looking more Sporty than Scary. “I had a six pack!” laughs Mel, 36, speaking exclusively to Woman’s Day. “I was very lean and fit.”

Fast-forward nine months and the British-born beauty had piled on almost 30kgs, tipping the scales at 82kgs shortly before giving birth to daughter Madison six weeks ago. “I gained a lot of weight,” Mel admits. “My legs, my butt, my tummy, my arms… it’s absolutely everywhere. I’d been eating for England. I was indulging – basking in my pregnancy.” To make matters worse, just two weeks later, she was back in the glare of the spotlight on The X Factor Australia, carrying all that extra post-baby padding on prime-time TV.

Now at 75kgs, Mel has decided it’s time to ditch that excess baggage by signing up as the new celebrity ambassador to weight-loss company Jenny Craig. She aims to lose 15kgs over the next 15 to 20 weeks, to reach her goal weight of 60kgs. “When you’ve just had a baby, you want to get back into shape and remember what you felt like nine months ago,” she explains. “Especially working on camera and being in the public eye, you want to feel like you’re at your best.

“For me, doing Jenny Craig was a no-brainer. With my newborn and working nine-hour days on The X Factor, I already have so much to focus on. I just don’t have the time to think about losing weight.