‘I lost 14st after taking up bodybuilding’
GYM WAS KEY FOR REACHING GOAL
ALL-CLEAR: Tara Doonan
AN IRISHWOMAN who tried more than 20 diets has finally lost 14 stone — after taking up bodybuilding.
Judith Magill (46) experimented with various food regimes without success for nearly two decades.
But after once tipping the scales at 23st 4lbs, she dropped to 9st 11lb and a dress size 8 in just three years after lifting weights daily at a gym.
Judith, a teacher from Co Down, said: “I didn’t need a new diet, I needed consistency.”
For 15 years, Judith tried every diet she could find, including the cabbage soup diet and a meat based diet, in a bid to shift the pounds.
Diet
She also tried a water diet, Weight Watchers, Slimming World, a chewing diet, Atkins, intermittent fasting,
Keto and taking supplements.
But after nearly two decades she finally had a “moment of clarity” and realised she needed to stop viewing food as a reward.
With this shift in outlook, Judith, who was a dress size 24 at her biggest, started a course of weight lifting at her local gym.
The university teacher now competes in body competitions and attends the Pure Gym every day “without fail”.
Judith now competes in body building competitions, tracks her food intake and focuses on a high protein, low fat meal plan.
She has slimmed down to a 9st and a dress size 8 in just two-anda-half-years.
Judith said it was all down to joining a gym, saying: “After sticking
to one plan, I’ve finally reached my ideal body type. I loved mixing with like-minded people while body building.”
Judith first noticed her weight as an issue when she was in school and felt people “made comparisons” between her and twin sister, Lorna (46), a civil servant.
Attention
Judith, who works as a teacher, said: “My sister got all of the attention at school.
“She was always the skinny one whereas I felt like the fat one. “I was the ugly Betty that no boys wanted. I always compared us because of the comments. I became extremely self-conscious.” Her issues continued after having three children, Ruby (20), Toby (12) and Lydia, nine, with partner, Brian Magill (57), a lecturer.
After ballooning to a size 24 by 2020, Judith “put her head in the sand” until a family photo changed everything. She said: “I felt so sick seeing that picture, I looked unhealthy and felt really shocked.
“Literally the next day I joined a gym and began calorie counting and cutting out fatty foods.
“After that I got into a routine and seeing the weight drop off me spurred me along.
“I didn’t need a new diet, I needed consistency.” ‘NEW ME: Judith lost 14st after taking up bodybuilding