A buxom bridesmaid who was left mortified after seeing pictures of herself at her sister’s wedding has lost over seven stone – to become a BODYBUILDING champion.
Sarah Oldham, 32, who tipped the scales at 16st got a wake up call after struggling to squeeze into a massive size 22 bridesmaid’s dress.
She decided to something about her large frame after flicking through wedding pictures 18 months ago and being ashamed at what she saw.
Incredibly, toned Sarah has almost lost half her body weight and is now a svelte size eight and weighs eight-and-a-half stone.
As well as following a strict diet of chicken, broccoli and rice, she also took up bodybuilding after other exercise regimes failed to help her shift the pounds.
Muscular Sarah won her first competition earlier this year and is now off to represent the UK in Tenerife in October.
The insurance claims team leader says: “I was a bridesmaid for my sister’s wedding a couple of years ago and was mortified when I had to wear a size 22 dress.
“I knew I had to do something, I just wasn’t happy in my own body. At my heaviest I was nearly 16 stone.
“I initially lost some weight but the turning point was when a local gym opened near my home 18 months ago.
“I joined, but started getting bored after 15 minutes and thought that’s me done for today.
“I had been following a few personal trainers on Facebook and Twitter for a bit of motivation and saw something about bikini fitness which I though was quite achievable for me.
“It gave me the motivation I needed and I started doing a few shows a year.
“I got a personal trainer, and soon progressed into the ‘toned’ category.
“One of my highlights was winning Miss Toned Northants 2015. I just love the feeling of competing, let alone getting first prize.
“It was amazing. It made me realise I can achieve goals if I set my mind to it.”
Sarah, who lives in Duston, Northampton, with her husband Andy, 46, a truck driver, is so dedicated that she trains for two hours at the gym five days a week.
Her personal trainer allows her to treat herself on weekends when she eats salon, sweet potato and carbohydrates.
She added: “You lose more weight when you have more muscle as your are burning calories.
“I would recommend bodybuilding training as it gives you curves.
“Even when I’m not in the gym, I’m on my exercise bike at home when I watch the TV of an evening.
“If I could do it full time I would.
“My personal trainer lets me have a ‘refeed day’ which means I can have a treat in the form of 200g of carbs.
“I usually have a few bowls of cereal.
“I think a lot of women are scared to go into what I call the ‘meathead’ weights area in the gym but I would say go for it.
“Everybody has noticed a difference in my confidence since I started bodybuilding. It has really changed my life.”
Sarah is now working towards another competition after being invited to the sunny Canary islands to compete in the Tenerife Night Stars competition on October 24.
