Obese 23st mum who broke a chair has lost half her body weight – and married her personal trainer
The fitness fanatic who fell in love while working out
A 23-STONE mum, who was so overweight she broke a chair, has lost half her body weight and even married the personal trainer who saved her life.
Sara Magnusson Backström, 37, from Gothenburg, Sweden, was left red-faced when she broke a camping chair – before she had even left the store.
When the mortifying incident happened at a garden store, she suddenly realised it was time for a lifestyle overhaul.
Sara immediately hired a personal trainer, Fredrik Magnusson, and began hitting the gym three times a week.
Once she had lost 5.5-stone, the make-up artist switched to an online diet plan and upped her workouts to an incredible 10 per week.
Undeterred, Sara shed a further 6st 13lb and began to build muscle which helped fill excess saggy skin.
However, the story doesn’t stop there. In a fairy tale-like turn of events, Sara went on to marry the personal trainer, Fredrik.
Having lost a total of 12st 6lbs, she tied the knot with Fredrik on July 4 last year and now flaunts her toned assets on Instagram under the username @bumbi79.
The fitness fanatic said: "I tried to lose weight with various quick fix diets like powder diets and regular restrictive diets that were like starvation.
"All of them ended in disaster. Every time I failed a diet I felt even more like a failure.”
Finally, after the humiliating broken chair incident, she decided that enough was enough.
Sara hired Fredrik and then fell in love with him during the 10 months he coached her.
She said: "I knew in 2012 he was Mr Right.
"I am so happy that I finally did it with Fredrik's help.
"We train together a lot and of course he gives me advice but today I have a fitness coach."
When Sara was eight, her parents divorced and, as a result, she turned to food for comfort. That was when her battle with her weight began.
Things became even harder for her when she was 19 and had her first son.
Sara found it hard to juggle the trials of parenthood with work and cooking, resorting to fast food as a solution.
"I have been over-weight all my life,” she added.
"My mother brought us to the candy store three times a week. It was her way to survive the sorrow of the divorce.
"Then my son never slept because of colic."
To save time, she cut corners and turned to unhealthy fast food.
"I had no time to cook healthy food so I ate a lot of fast food instead and continued comfort eating."
Over the next ten years Sara grew heavier and by 2011 she tipped the scales at 23 stone.
She said: "My boyfriend at the time and I were going to buy garden furniture.
"I sat on a chair and it broke. It was really humiliating and I was devastated.
"I decided in that moment that I had to do something about my weight."
Sara and Fredrik worked out together three times a week for 10 months.
She lost 5.5-stone in that time and when her weight she plateaued, turned to an additional online coach for a diet plan in February 2014.
To fit it all in, Sara hits the gym early in the morning, six days a week, coupled with regular evening sessions.
She added: "I changed my goals from only losing weight to also building muscles and becoming stronger.
"After a while the training becomes more fun and today I love it.
"Now I see my training as a lifestyle rather than something I have to do.”
Fitness and the gym has even become a part of family life.
She said: "In the evening my son who is now 18 and my husband will follow if they can.
"This journey has made me a happier person and more positive."