Geri shapes up

When the Spice Girls burst on to the scene in 1996, Geri Halliwell looked as though she might be about to do the same. Almost spilling out of skin-tight minidresses, her ample chest was one of the not-so-secret weapons in the group's successful campaign to conquer the world.

Two years later, however, Ginger Spice's world began to deflate.

After walking out on the group at the height of their fame in 1998, a combination of eating disorders and a gruelling exercise regime saw Miss Halliwell turn into a shadow of her former self.

But now, at age 30, her once DD curves appear to be on the way back.

Having beaten the bulimia which has plagued her since her teens, she is eating more than she has in years - and her body looks all the better for it.

The Watford-born star has been spotted enjoying herself in several restaurants in her new home town of Los Angeles in recent weeks - on one occasion tucking into a huge plate of chips.

Her voluptuous new figure has, of course, attracted much male attention, including an admiring glance from Harrison Ford at a party.

Miss Halliwell explained: 'I've gained weight but I feel really healthy.

'At one point, regardless of how fit I was looking, my body just wasn't working properly. My menstrual cycle

had disappeared, unsurprisingly with the weight loss and stress. The thought of not being able to have children was a real wake-up call.

'I don't want to be back abusing myself with food and exercise. So I eat three meals a day plus two snacks.'

Soon after leaving the Spice Girls, Miss Halliwell embarked on the Atkins Diet and watched her weight fall from 81/2 to 7st. Her exercise regime included running six miles a day, power walking and Ashtanga yoga.

But she continued to struggle with low self-image and attended meetings of Overeaters Anonymous.