A Wigan woman lost half her weight by swimming to become a champion bodybuilder

A Wigan woman lost 8st by swimming every morning for 30 minutes at a time - and is now a bodybuilder.

Megan Winstanley, 31, weighed 15st 10lbs at her heaviest and would secretly eat sugary treats at night.

She'd spent years watching friends borrow each other's clothes, while she would always have to buy something new.

But she shed two stone for her brother's wedding by overhauling her diet - swapping meals like chicken tenders and chips for green beans, rice and protein oats.

In a bid to continue, she signed up to an online 12-week calorie challenge - counting her macros and calories.

She started swimming every morning for 30 minutes and now taken up bodybuilding and lost 8st 3lbs.

Now at a slender 7st 6lbs she hits the gym most days and finished second in her most recent bodybuilding competition.

The local authority worker said: "I didn't have much confidence. I was trying to act as the joker because if people are going to laugh at me because of my weight, I'd rather it was because I was funny.

"It was more if I felt sad, I would emotionally eat.

"Friends always used to borrow each other's clothes and I'd always have to buy something new.

"When I came back from travelling in 2018, I remember looking in the mirror and I just felt sick with seeing how I saw myself.

"I felt depressed.

"But after I did the 12-week challenge in 2021, that's when the macros and calorie-counting took effect.

"Someone did that plan for me and I followed it.

"There wasn't in depth education about it but I knew I had to be eating fewer calories."

After hitting her target for her brother's wedding, Megan decided to press on and found the world of bodybuilding in 2022.

She said: "I lost about two stone by the time of the wedding and I wanted to lose more.

"I was swimming in the morning, and then most days I would go into the gym afterwards.

"It was resistance training and using the cross trainer.

"In 2023 I had a bulging disk in my back and prior to that I wanted to do something big.

"I did a photoshoot in 2022 and that instilled the idea if I did some more dieting I could be stage-ready and that prompted the idea of bodybuilding.

"I thought if I was in the best shape of my life now, how far could I take it?"

She has since employed a coach, and competes in competitions across the country.

Megan said: "In my head I wanted to enter my 30s as them being my best years.

"Once I stood on stage I got the bug and I wanted to be better and better.

"I entered the PCA first timers.

"I didn't have a coach and when I stepped on stage I felt rubbish but it set a fire within me.

"I have a coach for it now and I'm in the best shape of my life at 47.5kg."

Megan has put her weight loss down to the resistance training and the dieting she has done throughout. while working full-time.

"Once you start going and taking it step by step, it becomes natural and part of your identity and part of your routine.”