Emma Bunton: It's taken me a year to lose my baby weight

In the past she has owned up to the fact that it has been a struggle to stay slim.

Today, 17 months after becoming a mum for the first time, Emma Bunton looks incredible.

But she is the first to admit that it’s been a long, hard road – and insists that taking time to shed the pounds is both healthy and sensible.

Now a trim size 10, the girl once cruelly dubbed “Chubby Spice” says: “I put on a normal amount when I was pregnant with Beau but it took me a year to get back to the weight I’d been before he was born. I did it very naturally and slowly.

“I went to the gym two or three times a week and ate healthily. I breastfed so you can’t go on stupid strict diets.”

But barely two months after Beau was born, Emma, 32, started training for the gruelling Spice Girls reunion tour.

Shaking her head, she says: “I don’t know how I managed it.

It’s one of those things you look back on and can’t quite believe. There was a lot of pressure to be fit, but I wouldn’t do that to myself again.”

Now, she maintains her fitness through workouts and a sensible diet. “Now I’m really happy with my figure,” she says. “I’m exercising three times a week.”

“I go for a run or take our dogs for a walk – and I’m almost enjoying it. It’s got to be about balance though, being healthy but not letting it rule your life.

“When my friends ask me round and say, ‘Let’s get a pizza,’ I would hate to be the only person picking at the pepperoni.”

In line with her healthy diet, Emma is fronting a campaign to encourage people to switch from white to wholemeal bread.

As she explains: “People go mad in January – cutting out everything – but that’s unhealthy and your weight will yo-yo.

“You should just make little changes and take your time.”

But it isn’t just getting her figure back that makes her happy – the arrival of Beau has made her life perfect. “Beau is my all, my life and the reason I’m happier than ever,” she grins.

“I’m enjoying being a mummy most of all, he’s so gorgeous.

“He’s so good and funny and loves his cuddles. After having such a wonderful little thing, I can’t wait to have another.”

The other man in Emma’s life, her boyfriend Jade Jones, 29, has been just as important.

The singer now works as a chef at Claridge’s after fronting groups Damage and Cherry BlackStone.

She says: “Jade is a rock. We have loads in common and laugh at the same things.

“Our friends tease us because we still kiss in public and hold hands.”

But despite being together

10 years, the couple have no plans to tie the knot.

“According to the press I’ve been engaged about 20 times over the years, but I can assure you, I’m not.

“We don’t feel the need to get married. It’s not that we haven’t talked about it, we’re just happy the way things are.”

However if they ever do marry, Emma says she won’t be selling pictures to a magazine.

She says: “It would be something small and personal for Jade, Beau and I, but not secret – my family would be too upset.”

A homebody at heart, Emma still lives in North London and spends as much time as she can with her family.

“They keep me grounded,” she says. “When I go back to my mum’s, I have to do the washing up.

“Everyone has stayed the same around me. You only change when people treat you differently.”

Now keen to break into TV and films, she says her closeness to her family means she won’t be following Mel B out to LA. “I’d love to act and I’m taking classes and working towards that, but it’s not going to happen overnight.

“I spent a lot of time in LA after the tour ended and although I liked it, I decided there’s no place like home.”

In the meantime, Emma has been a regular on British TV.

So far she’s competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2006, hosted For One Night Only last summer and helped Dannii Minogue as a mentor on The X Factor.

She also appeared on ITV’s Loose Women and is hoping to take on more television work soon.

And, after finishing third on Strictly, she remains a huge fan of the show.

“I loved watching the last series,” she laughs.

“Being part of it, you understand what they are going through. Jade keeps saying he would love to learn the tango but I haven’t got the patience to teach him so my New Year’s resolution is for us to learn it together!

“It’s such a passionate dance and we sometimes try it in the kitchen but he hasn’t quite got it yet.”

“Working on The X Factor was emotional and although it was lovely to be part of it, it is quite a commitment to mentor someone. It’s such a big show.”

And despite the success of their world tour, Emma says she won’t be touring with the Spice Girls again either.

“We did what we set out to do which was to tour again and have fun,” she smiles.

“It was the best. It was like a big get-together with our kids. We’re a mini tribe now and that made it extra special.

“When I get on stage with the girls I’m like a child – I’m Baby Spice again – we muck about like in the old days.

“But now 10 years on, when we come off stage we have responsibilities and children.

“There are lots of Spice Mums and babies so I do feel grown-up now. No one is ever going to know what we’ve been through apart from us and that is such a bond.”

As she chats about the band, it is obvious that despite rumours of tantrums and fall-outs, the five girls really are great friends.

And the common ground motherhood has given them has brought them even closer.

In fact, Emma, who sees Mel B whenever she can, spent the previous night having dinner with the Beckhams and pregnant Mel C, and is meeting Geri in a few days.

“It was lovely,” she smiles.

“I have great friendships with all of them.

“David and Jade get on well but Jade isn’t really that into football.

“And Mel C is wonderful, it’s lovely she’s going to be a mum.

Smiling, she says: “I was only 18 when I met the girls. I was so young. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I’ve been part of such an amazing adventure.”