Mum of 4 who shed 10st reveals top weight loss tips after becoming a bodybuilder

The mother of four has shed half her weight and now competes as a bodybuilder.

Eva Underwood, 48, reached number 21 but decided something needed to change after the traumatic attack became a turning point in her life.

She has struggled with her size for most of her life, and despite losing nearly 10 with gastric bypass surgery, has put the weight back on.

But the crunch came when she suffered a serious attack and bravely decided to fight the anxiety that followed.

She entered the gym solely with the intention of trying to face her fears, but she entered her first bodybuilding competition two years ago and has more events planned.

Now she loves the gym so much that she even bought her own.

Eva, a civil servant from Bradford, said: “The first time I binged was because I was unhappy and I reached 21st.

“I had a gastric bypass but then I started eating too much because I was happy. I lost almost 10 and put it back on.”

“It wasn’t until I was attacked that my life really changed.

“I needed to fight back so I started bodybuilding and I loved it so much that now I own a gym and focus on helping other women.”

Eva had weight problems as a child, and when she left school at 16, she was a dress size 16 to 18.

She said: “My mum was Italian and loved to cook. We had three courses for every meal. Food was a big focus in our lives.”

“At school the bullies called me ‘pizza face’ and ‘tree trunk feet’ which hurt, but I turned to food to make myself feel better. I loved chocolate, especially pralines.

“After my children came, I gained more weight.

“I couldn’t run after them or teach them to ride a bike and my confidence really suffered.

“I tried all kinds of diets, but nothing worked. I was even prescribed appetite suppressants, but they didn’t work either.”

In 2007, at 21 and 5ft 4in, Eva was classed as clinically obese and offered a gastric bypass by the NHS.

She underwent surgery and managed to lose almost 10 st.

But then she met a new partner, had two more children and her weight gradually crept up.

I became too afraid, even left the house, and realized that I had to do something to defend myself

Eva Underwood

“The first time I ate because I was unhappy, but this time I ate because I was happy,” she said.

“Even with the gastric bypass, I still managed to eat enough calories to gain weight.

“With my marriage falling apart and working full-time as a single mother of four, I fell back into my old habits of snacking and takeaways.”

In 2015, Eva was back where she started, at 21.

Five years later she was the victim of a serious attack and was left with severe anxiety.

“I became too scared to leave the house and I realized I had to do something to protect myself,” she said.

“I joined the gym and jokingly posted on Facebook that I was going to be a bodybuilder.

“One of my friends replied that I had to go on stage and win a trophy to call myself a bodybuilder – and I accepted the challenge. It was like a red rag to a bull.”

In October 2021, Eva teamed up with trainer Jaymal Dickinson to train for her first ever competition.

“I had less than a year to get in shape and it took a lot of effort,” she said.

“I was in the gym every day after work and eating high protein and low fat.

“I did it all naturally, no enhancements, and I lost half my body weight, down to 12”.

In July 2022, Eva entered her first competition and finished fourth in three categories.

Her success fueled her to continue helping other women.

She later took up Muay Thai kick boxing and aims to be there for others and give them the support she never had.

She bought a gym, Sweatbox Fitness Studio in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, with co-owner David Sa and now runs classes and training camps aimed exclusively at women.

He even encourages them to bring their children along.

“Working moms are busy, so I try to find a way around all the problems,” she said.

“I have a place for the kids to play while the moms train and I manage their schedules.

“My own journey has been amazing and I just want to share my own joy with others.”