Nurse Sara Khankashi-Pour, 31, had always suffered the highs and lows of being an emotional eater. She had just moved to Ireland and was without friends or a focus when she decided to take up the Body-for-LIFE challenge to change her eating and exercise habits for good.

Sara had always been aware of the challenge, as there were always leaflets in the gym she attended and the owner had done it in the past. With the help of her boyfriend, Jesse who also did the challenge and the gym owner, former gymnast Sara considered weight training for the first time. Having a good team around her was a source of inspiration and meant that her sugar cravings would not get the better of her although it was not always an easy road.

During the 12-week Body-for-LIFE Challenge Sara went from 9st 6lbs to 8st 10lbs and dropped her body fat from 25.5% to 17.5% - and completely changed her body shape

Sara followed the Body-for-LIFE exercise programme with Jesse who helped her set it and then changed every three weeks. She used a combination of weights and Pilates once a week to regain her flexibility. Photos and measurements taken every fourth week tracked their progress and kept them going. A diary was also used as an aid to their programme.

“I did do some running outdoors but mostly worked out in the gym. Halfway through I got pain in my left knee and couldn’t run,” admits Sara. It was freezing outside so it was the cross trainer, rower or bike for me. The hardest thing was fitting the gym sessions around my shifts. I usually got up early in the morning to get my workout done but not being a morning person made this especially hard. But the physical changes in my body gave me the natural boost I needed when I felt low.”

Even with a team around her, Sara found the nutritional aspect of the challenge harder than the exercises as she was so used to having carbohydrates and not protein in her diet. Having a sweet tooth meant that she turned to the EAS Myoplex chocolate brownie bars and sachets to help satisfy her cravings. “I found the protein meal replacement shakes really useful as they stopped me from going without food on long shifts,” explained Sara. Another tip she enjoyed was to have a treat on her days off exercise such as having a massage or facial to keep her motivated.” Although there were days when she could have given up, Sara turned to Jesse to get her through the hard times and keep her on track.

“Nurses can be terrible eaters due to their irregular shift patterns,” admits Sara. “Body-for-LIFE has shown me that this does not have to be the case. What I have learnt about diet and nutrition has meant I can use this knowledge to improve my wellbeing at home and work. I have stopped letting food control me. Over the 12 week Challenge my confidence soared and I have seen positive changes in all areas of my life. I am now happier and less homesick.”

“Body-for-LIFE has had such a huge effect on me. I love my new body and I am so proud of what I have managed to achieve over the 12 weeks. I have a new outlook in the gym and I am more motivated to try different things. As a result my skin has cleared up, I have more energy and my concentration levels have improved. I still have treats but these no longer result in binges thanks to the discipline I now have from doing Body-for-LIFE. My eating habits have changed for life!”