Couple reveal how they went from unfit to super-toned in just 16 WEEKS

An overweight couple who were feeling 'down' pledged to transform their bodies in the run-up to their wedding in just four months. 

Paul Maddern, 35, from Preston, Lancashire, had put on three stone and saw his weight creep up to nearly 17st.

His future bride Abi, 29, a hairdresser, was also recovering from invasive back surgery to correct lifelong scoliosis when they decided to try and get fit together for their wedding.

With the help of their trainer they lost nearly five stone for the big day, with Paul going from nearly 17 stone down to 14st 11lb - and gaining a stone of muscle. 

Paul, who works in procurement, said: 'Both of us wanted to get in shape for the wedding to look our best. My wife had the operation last August for scoliosis and wasn't able to exercise for months.

'I'd put on three stone as well and just wanted to be trim, so we thought we'd give it a chance.

'We wanted to improve our self-confidence and do our own rehab. I wouldn't say we were let down but Abi wasn't offered much in the way of physiotherapy. She wanted to strengthen her core after the operation.'

Paul and Abi had been together for three years when doctors told Abi she needed an operation to correct the curvature of her spine.

Paul insisted he never realised just how much Abi meant to him until the surgery.

Paul said: 'Abi's surgery was one of the most emotional experiences of my life.

'When she first came round she was in a critical care unit in Salford and had so many wires and leads coming out of her.

'She started crying when she saw my face, and it was then I realised just how much I loved her.

'She handled it all incredibly well.'

Abi went from just over 11st and 31 per cent body fat to 9st 9lb and just under 12 per cent body fat but claims she could not have done it alone.

'I was off work for 12 weeks after the operation and as I'm a hairdresser I'm usually on my feet all day,' she said.

'It was a bit of a shock. I put a fair bit of weight and I didn't want to look like that for the wedding day, so we found a personal trainer.

'I didn't use to eat a lot of rubbish, but it wasn't perfect. I cut out all the sugar to start with, and was eating a lot of green vegetables and a lot of meat. No junk food, no chocolate, no alcohol.

'I could only do the food side of it, as I wasn't allowed to train. I feel great now, the best I've ever felt in my life.

'I don't think I could've done it if both Paul and I weren't in it together. I would've still tried my best but it would've been a lot harder.'

Personal trainer and nutritionist Simon Hall, who helped the couple tackle their weight problems, says it was wonderful seeing how happy they were on their wedding day.

Simon said: 'We picked up on Abi's issues first - she was poorly digesting food, it was almost like IBS. We started off trying to address those, then we reintroduced carbs into her diet and she was able to lose the weight.'

He added that she was able to do 20 to 30 minutes each day of low-impact work on a cross trainer for her last four weeks of the programme but she managed to gain muscle because her new diet enabled her to absorb protein properly.

'It was really quite emotional at the wedding as when I first met them they were really down, so it was great to see two energised, happy and lean people for their big day.'

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