Weight lifted: Burnley mum sheds 70lbs

Lisa Lecheminant, a former bank clerk from Paisley in Scotland, lost 4.9 stone over four years, going from a UK size 18 to a size eight, as the newly-qualified personal trainer discovered a hidden passion for fitness.

The 5’3” Lisa, who had been bullied at school, saw her weight peak in 2012 when she hit 14 stone - her sedentary life as a stay-at-home mum taking its toll. But a gym-riddled revolution saw the former binge-eater embrace the lean, mean world of bodybuilding.

“I was unhappy,” said Lisa, of Pike Hill in Burnley, “and lacked confidence to put myself out there. I played with diets but never exercised, which was the defining decision.”

Lisa, who lives with her husband and children, now challenges herself with bodybuilding competitions having taken to the free weights at Xercise4Less in Burnley in 2014. With help from her friends, family and a strict diet, she the pounds melt off her now-chiselled frame.

And svelte living agrees with her, as after three competitions, Lisa has claimed trophies in all three, including a second place in Miss Pennine 2016 - earning a place in the British finals - and is looking to compete more in the future.

“I engaged in a gruelling 18 week diet and training regime to get ready for my first competition,” said Lisa, who now weighs 8 stone 12 pounds - five stone less than in 2014.

“I made lots of friends and have taken the plunge to make fitness my career,” said Lisa, who says he is motivated by aesthetics. “I wanted to pass on my knowledge and enthusiasm for my new-found love of a healthier lifestyle and exercise.”