Lyndsey Kelly weighed 13 stone 7lbs but decided to turn her life aroundNeil Shaw Assistant Editor (Money and Lifestyle)07:52, 06 Jul 2026A mum lost nearly five stone by eating the same meals every single day - and doing 40 minutes of exercise. Lyndsey Kelly, 47, weighed 13st 7lbs at her heaviest, eating takeaways at least once a week, drinking every Friday and weekend, and rarely exercising.‌But as she hit her mid-40s, Lyndsey thought it was now or never to turn her life around. Lyndsey changed her diet and exercise routine to ditch the wight - and found a love for weightlifting.‌Now 8st 8lbs she competes in bodybuilding competition. The mum-of-one, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, said: “I work 12 hour shifts so I get up at 4am and do 40 minutes of fasted cardio, then I walk to work and do a weights session in the gym after my shift finishes.‌“At first it was agony, but after a couple of weeks you get into it and it becomes routine. I quite enjoy it now because I like the structure and the discipline but that only comes with time. I’m not killing myself with cardio, it’s just consistency.”‌Lyndsey says she was previously a "couch potato" who did no cardio and sat around drinking every weekend. She said: "I was eating too much, drinking too much, having takeaways and doing no exercise. I'd just had enough. I changed for my son. I wanted to be a role model and show him what you can achieve."In January 2024, Lyndsey decided to make a change and entered an online competition to win three months of coaching with a personal trainer. Although she didn't win, the coach contacted her afterwards to ask if she still wanted to work together.Lyndsey said: "I thought the money I'd spend on coaching was the money I'd been spending on alcohol and takeaways anyway. I pay for three months coaching at a time which costs me £350, which is cheap compared to some coaches out there, but it’s a lifestyle choice.‌“I yo-yo’d with my weight over the years, particularly when my son was young as he was my priority and I would put myself on the backburner. But he is 16 now so I’ve got so much more time.‌“I signed up with Craig two and a half years ago and I still check in with him every Sunday. I know I can't get away with anything.”Lyndsey swapped chicken kebabs for five meals a day which are carefully weighed out. Every single day, Lyndsey’s menu includes oats and yoghurt, chicken and rice, chicken wraps, mince meat with potatoes and vegetables, and sourdough bread with peanut butter.Her coach was a bodybuilding specialist so got into bodybuilding straight away, eventually building up to enter the 2026 NABBA North West bodybuilding competition. Now her cardio work typically involves time on a static bike or on the Stairmaster, and most of her weight work focuses on heavy dumbbells.‌Lyndsey said: “Women always say that they don't want to get too bulky and that they just want to tone up, but toning up comes from building muscle. You're not going to turn into a man overnight by lifting weights. It's actually very hard for women to build muscle because we don't naturally have the same testosterone levels, so its all about what we eat.”‌On June 13, the mum finished second in the NABBA North West bodybuilding finals. She initially entered in the toned category but judges moved her into the athletic class because of her muscle definition and conditioning. She said: “I was really nervous, but what I've taken away is to just have fun, don't take it too seriously. Everybody is so lovely and puts you at ease. You’ve worked hard so it’s time to show it off.”Article continues belowLyndsey now shares her fitness journey with her 11,000 followers on Instagram @lynds.lifts. For anyone considering starting their own fitness journey later in life, she advises: "You've got to get used to it and give it time. It can be a bit boring at first, but once you start seeing results, you realise it works.“Trust the process."