A mum who spent £4,000 a year on takeaways has dropped four stone in six months and now looks unrecognisable.
Helen Buchanan, 40, used to eat takeaways and junk food each night, leaving her tipping the scales at 13 stone and wearing a size 18. To become a better example for her daughter Elliemae, 13, Helen decided to make a lifestyle change and joined a gym.
She also swapped junk food for healthier home-cooked meals. Helen said she began to enjoy exercise and became determined to become a bodybuilder.
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In six months, she slimmed down to nine stone and now wears a size six to eight. Helen now competes professionally and said her daughter is "proud" of her for how far she has come.
Helen, from North Lanarkshire, said: “I was really down for about five years. I just didn’t really care about myself.
"I would eat a load of Chinese, pizza, chocolate most nights, greasy food. Mentally and physically, I felt horrible about myself. I wasn’t in a good place, and I felt uncomfortable.
"When the weight came off, it felt amazing. It was nice to see my body change and muscle appear. It almost doesn’t feel real. It has totally changed my life.”
Helen pushed herself to shift the weight in January 2023 after losing her aunt, Frances, 68, to cancer. She said: "I had to just push through and do it for her."
The mum-of-one added she remembered an old dream of becoming a bodybuilder, after finding a love for the competitions while watching them on TV. She said: “I found a girl called Adele who is now my coach.
"I started in the gym, told her about my dream and in January I was training for my first ever show. I had to cut out chocolate, dairy, a lot of socialising. I had to really focus on the gym and my goal.”
Now she follows a strict regime, spending three-and-half hours a day in the gym and following a diet of protein shakes and healthy food. Helen competed in her first competition on June 11 and is looking to compete in more next year.
She first visited the venue she competed at 10 years ago, and dreamed she would be up on the stage. She said: "I remember seeing them and thinking I'm going to do that.
"That's going to be me. I told my friends I would be up there and they said 'aye OK' but I got there in 10 years. I want to compete next year too.
“On June 11 I had my competition. I have always wanted to do one before I turned 40, which I did. My birthday was June 30. I felt amazing."
Helen is a huge advocate for bodybuilding and hopes other women wanting to get into to the sport will seize the chance. She said: “It has taught me to love myself more, that I can do anything and that I can help inspire others."
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