About

Zoë Harcombe was the first person from her state school to graduate from Cambridge University, having won a scholarship to read mathematics/economics at this famous institution. What no one knew at the time was that, having been anorexic as a teenager, Zoe had developed bulimia before starting her studies Cambridge. She sat in her historic room, overlooking Kings Chapel, stuffing her face with food and asked the million dollar question: “Why do I overeat? When all I want is to be slim?”

So started over a decade of research into obesity, overeating, weight loss and everything to do with being overweight and getting slim. During her 20’s Zoë experienced food cravings to rival any drug addiction and discovered that there are three medical conditions that cause these food cravings. And so her first book came about. She finally had the answer to the question she had asked in her university room and “Why do you overeat? When all you want is to be slim” was published in 2004 and it continues to change the lives of people who read it.

Since putting her own advice into practice, Zoe has lived craving free and a constant 8 stone for over 15 years. She no longer suffers from any of the conditions that cause insatiable cravings and she knows how to make sure that these conditions never return. “Stop Counting Calories & Start Losing Weight: The Harcombe Diet” was published in 2008, to share the message as simply and passionately as possible with readers world-wide. By popular demand, a recipe book came out at the same time. Zoë has also appeared on TV and Radio and writes regularly for magazines and newspapers. (All media features can be seen here).

Zoë is a qualified nutritionist with a Diploma in Diet & Nutrition and a Diploma in Clinical Weight Management but she is first and foremost an obesity researcher. She works exclusively in the area of weight and obesity and read, writes and talks about obesity as many hours as possible, 7 days a week. Her complete goal and drive is to reverse the obesity epidemic. She has clear views on how it started and what we need to do to stop it and these will be published in 2010.

In Zoë’s words:

Full name?

Zoë Verna Harcombe (Verna is my mum’s name – it’s French for ‘Spring born’ apparently – and I was!)

Vital statistics?

Height 5’2”; Weight 7.12-8 stone; BMI 20.5

Favourite colour?

Red

Favourite food?

Chocolate! (85-90% cocoa)

Family?

Husband Andy, his two boys – Gez and Max and our two mad rescue animals – one canine and one feline. They adore each other and there’s no Tom & Jerry stuff going on!

Have you ever passed off a bought meal as your own?

No way – my friends all know I can make chocolate mousse and that’s it! Andy is the cook in our household – I’m the taster!

Favourite book?

I have three: The Power of Now by Ekhart Tolle; The Diet Delusion by Gary Taubes and The Great Cholesterol Con by Dr Malcolm Kendrick . All brilliant and original and good to take on a desert island, as you would never get bored of re-reading them.

What do you do to relax?

I’m not great at relaxing – I’m pretty full on from the minute I wake up until the minute I crash. If the cat jumps on my lap – that’s the best thing guaranteed to make me sit still until he decides he’s had enough! Thinking about it – it’s animals that best help me relax – a walk with Roxy is wonderfully relaxing.

Favourite Film?

I have three criteria for a great film – the three “E’s” – if anything Entertains, Educates and Emotionally stimulates me, I love it. There are loads that Entertain and Emotionally ‘reach me’: “Love Actually”, “Bridget Jones”, “About a boy”, “Notting Hill” – I love all that stuff. There are also quite a few films that deliver all three – examples would be “Dead Poet’s Society”, “Cry Freedom”, “Amadeus”, “Erin Brockovich”, “Gladiator” etc.  I hate any depressing films, like “The Piano”, “Atonement”, “The Reader” – why would anyone want to watch a film that makes them depressed?! Fave overall? Dead Poet’s Society clinches it I think – if only for the brilliant Robin Williams.

Favourite TV?

I watch so little TV I hardly know what people are talking about. I do the thumbs up thing on TIVO to record all diet programmes, but I watch those with the laptop in front of me making notes and analysing things. I keep factsheets on things from the Horizon Atkins programme to “Why are thin people not fat” and “Britain’s Biggest Loser” and all sorts – these are not just diet programmes – they are a great source of research material.

Fave TV series is deffo “24” – best thing on the small screen ever! I loved Prison Break also – but only after the first series, which was a bit slow.

What makes you cry?

What doesn’t?! Any human emotion makes me cry – someone getting through on the X Factor/American Idol, someone scoring the winning goal in a footy match (and I don’t even like football that much), every event at the Olympics, watching people reunite at airports – I’m a basket case!

What makes you laugh?

The dog’s face when the cat is in her basket! Michael McIntyre, Gavin & Stacey, Friends, Gabby & Carlos on Desperate Housewives, Jo Brand, clever cartoons in newspapers, great one-liners and loads of my friends make me laugh – that’s nice eh?!

Personal Values?

Health, Relationships, Personal Development, Mutuality and Integrity.

Hobbies?

Any time when I’m not reading something about obesity, I love spending time with Andy (we work together now, so we need to get non-work time also), walking the dog, stroking the cat, rugby (supporting Wales – can be very stressful), socialising and having great dinner parties with great friends.

Describe yourself in 5 words:

I asked Andy to do this and he said (he can’t count!): Friendly; Too bright; Enthusiastic; Principled; Chatty; Passionate (oh, & short!)

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