Woman drops 32kg to swap party life for bodybuilding

Nikki Harvey has swapped shots for squats, and become a professional bodybuilder after her party lifestyle saw her weight balloon.

The 24-year-old spent two years travelling across Australia, living off takeaway food, downing cider after cider, and smoking 20 cigarettes a day. But it wasn't until she saw herself in an unflattering photo that she decided it was time for a complete overhaul.

Nikki dropped a whopping 32kg, shriking from a sixe 18 to a four, and can now deadlift an impressive 100kg.

"I train twice a day, six times a week and I'm down to 10 per cent body fat," Nikki, from West Midlands in the UK, says.

"I absolutely hated the gym, I'd never step foot in one. But as soon as I lifted a weight I fell in love with it.

A self-confessed yo-yo dieter, Niki says she's struggled with her weight for years but things got out of control while Down Under.

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"For the two years I was travelling I never really had a kitchen, so it was just a constant supply of takeaways and alcohol," she says.

"I was out five nights a week and I'd always have a takeaway on the way home, as well as drinking five schooners and a cask of wine. I wasn't aware I was putting on weight though because I was having such a good time.

"But then I saw a picture of me in a bikini next to a waterfall and I didn't recognise myself. I couldn't believe I was looking at me - I'd piled on the weight and I was in a really bad place.

"I would break down and cry every time I saw myself in a mirror and for the last six months of my trip I refused to be in any photos."

Nikki had started dating a rugby player who she then asked to help her lose weight.

"I have no idea how he fell for me as he was really physically fit and I was a 20-a-day smoker who was a size 18," she says.

"He introduced me to weights and I was so relieved I'd finally found something I enjoy."

Nikki started exercising while she was still in Australia in 2015, and found the first 9kgs dropped quite quickly.

By the time she came back to the UK, she was down to a size 14 and stepped her training up even more.

"I wanted to get into it a bit more seriously so I had my body fat measured as well, which I'd never done before. I was 39 per cent body fat, now I'm 10 per cent body fat and down to a size four."

Nikki has since quit smoking and doesn't drink, except for the odd gin and slimline tonic at a wedding. She is currently training for her third bodybuilding competition, so has spent the past three months 'shredding' - burning fat to define muscles.

"My first competition was April 2016 which was really overwhelming," she says, "Winning a trophy was the best feeling, and to be here and look back is amazing."

"It's quite emotional when it all comes together and your hard work has paid off."

Nikki's former diet

Breakfast: Nothing

Lunch: A meal deal or a Subway

Dinner: Sausage and mash, or spaghetti bolognese with garlic bread

Snacks: A large bag of Haribo every day and a kebab or takeaway after a night out

Drinks: Four schooners of cider and a cask of wine

Nikki's current diet

Breakfast: 30 grams of oats with blueberries

Lunch: Chicken and vegetables

Mid-afternoon snack: Tuna with salad and avocado

Dinner: Chicken and vegetables again

Supper: Yogurt with protein powder

- With additional reporting by Caters News

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