Scarlett - the bombshell that changed my life

Scarlett, who had gained a whopping 30kg during her pregnancy, was walking through the mall with her husband, who was pushing the pram with her new-born baby. A lady came up to her and politely asked when she was due to give birth: bare in mind, she had just had her baby six weeks prior. “I was devastated! I had never realised how far I had allowed myself to go,” she says.

She was already unhappy as she says she was uncomfortable in her own skin. “I didn't want to take any pictures with my newborn. I also hated going out because trying to find something to wear was a frustrating task.”

With all of these thoughts and emotions building up, it was the incident at Cavendish Centre that gave her the nudge she needed to begin her transformation. “It was the tipping point that forced my hand - the wake-up call I needed,” she says. “That Sunday I took before pictures and on the Monday I signed up at gym.”

She started slowly, especially as her body was still recovering from the caesarian section she had had. Instead of jumping right into a hardcore plan she started with incline walking and built up her cardio endurance. She slowly learnt how to use weights too. “Before falling pregnant I was always sporty, but you would never find me in the gym.”

As if the stars were aligned, it turned out that her newborn loved the gym environment, and the caretakers there. This meant that the gym became “me time”. Scarlett also cleaned up her diet, choosing to follow a bodybuilding-type diet. “I ate six small meals a day, which included good sources of proteins, good carbs and healthy fats. I was always full and was amazed at how much I could eat and still lose weight.”

However, she admits that she did cheat on the eating now and then. But instead of falling off the wagon or beating herself up, she picked herself up, dusted herself off and carried on. Her training consisted of a cardio session in the morning and weights in the afternoon. Her husband, who is a personal trainer at Virgin Active, put her on the right workout plan. Her husband also taught her how to do everything in the gym correctly, which was a major reason why she was able to stay motivated, positive and focused on her goal.

“I didn't know what a lunge was and could barely curl a 3kg dumbbell. The beginning was daunting walking into the gym and seeing all these fit woman. I often became demotivated, but my husband kept me going and supported me.” It is also because of her husband, she says, that she set her eyes on eventually competing in a bikini competition. “I am a competitive person and am goal-driven, so that was all the motivation I needed. However, none of this would have been possible without him.” Scarlett says her overriding motivation was to make her husband proud, and to be a role model for her baby girl.

“The transformation also taught me a lot about myself.” It showed her that she can achieve just about anything that she sets her mind to, and believes in. She also learnt that she can be too critical of herself. “I guess that is a woman thing!” she laughs. Importantly, she also learnt a lot about her body, and how it responds to diet and exercise.

The hardest part of the transformation was trying to find balance between being a mom and wife, and her career and training. Some days were very difficult – the baby wasn't sleeping and she was exhausted. But Scarlett never gave up. She kept fighting, believing in the end goal. “The hardest part was often merely getting to the gym, but once I was there it was easy,” she explains.

And the persistence paid off. Scarlett went on to compete in her first bikini competition, winning the Novice category, and placing third in the senior line-up. “I have fallen in love with the fitness lifestyle. I now wake up every morning and am thankful and happy. I'm finally happy in my own skin, which rubs off on my family, and has brought us closer together.”

Following her transformation experience, Scarlett says that in order to succeed your mind has to be right. “Everyone has to start somewhere,” she says. “Just don't give up. If you fall off the wagon, pick yourself and continue. Nothing compares to the feeling of seeing all your hard work pay off. It is never going to be easy, and there is no magic pill, but it is so worth it!”

Fast Facts:
Favourite health food dish: Chicken curry and basmati rice. Diet food doesn't have to be boring, so I love getting creative.
Favourite training routine: I love training legs, doing squats and lunges - anything that targets my booty!
Must-use supplements: Whey protein, L-glutamine, multivitamins and green tea.
Top diet tip: Eat six small meals to keep your metabolism going, and drink lots of water. Never starve your body.

Vital Stats:
Weight before: 90kg
Body fat % before: 38%
Weight after: 56kg
Body fat % after: 9.5%
Age: 27
Martial status: Married, with one child (16 months old)
Career: Retail manager