Chantelle Houghton in Bathing Suit is "Feeling Very Proud"

Chantelle Houghton is celebrating losing more than 25 lbs, and is thrilled with the results. Houghton shared a picture of herself looking toned and happy in a white bikini, posing on the beach. "Feeling very proud of my 4 stone weight loss, I just want to say a huge thank you to my family and friends (you know who you are) for supporting me through the last 10 years of my life and getting me back to being ME. Thank you for carrying me when I had no strength. I love you all ❤️. Feeling grateful, happy and ALIVE," she captioned the post. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Houghton stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

Houghton follows a plant-based diet. "I've been vegetarian since I was young, and I've been vegan for the past six years," she says. "For breakfast, I'll have smashed avocado on sourdough. For lunch, I'll have tomato and basil soup with bread."

Houghton makes her own slow-cooker Tuscan bean soup for a healthy dinner. "Legumes, with the exception of soybeans, tend to lack one or more of the essential amino acids, unlike meat and other animal-based protein foods," says dietitian Aloysa Hourigan. "This means we need to find the 'missing' amino acid in other foods in our diet. For example, the essential amino acid missing in legumes is likely to be found in most wholegrains."

Houghton's "treat" takeout food is vegetarian Indian cuisine. "Research suggests that a predominantly plant-based diet can reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes," says Harvard Health. "In studies of Seventh-day Adventists, vegetarians' risk of developing diabetes was half that of nonvegetarians, even after taking BMI into account. The Harvard-based Women's Health Study found a similar correlation between eating red meat (especially processed meats, such as bacon and hot dogs) and diabetes risk, after adjusting for BMI, total calorie intake, and exercise."

Houghton enjoys hummus and breadsticks for a typical snack. "Made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans), hummus is naturally rich in fiber," says registered nutritionist Nicola Shubrook. "Studies support that the type of fiber in chickpeas has a positive effect on our gut health, promoting the numbers of beneficial bacteria which in turn helps enhance intestinal health."

Houghton prefers to shop for food every other day to ensure the freshest fruit and vegetables. "I find it hard to do a weekly shop, as I don't know what I want from one day to the next, so I tend to visit the supermarket every few days," she says. "I'll go to the farm shop once a week for herbs and vegetables."