By Rebecca Drew

MEET the stunning British woman who has shed two-and-a-half-stone after her weight spiralled out of control thanks to a diet of takeaways and alcohol during her first year of university.

When aspiring personal trainer, Ekam Grewal (22) from Uxbridge, West London, UK, started university she struggled to juggle her hectic student life with staying fit and healthy. She didn’t know how to cook healthy meals and often ate out and ordered take away which saw her reach a UK size 14 and 11st 9lbs. Ekam felt insecure and would hide beneath baggy clothes and compared herself to her ‘skinnier’ friends.

It wasn’t until Ekam was given some fitness advice that she decided to join the gym and turn her life around. A year and a half later, she is a slender 9st 1lb and a UK size 10.

Before. Ekam Grewal / mediadrumworld.com

“Being at university led to me drinking a lot and eating a lot of junk food. My first year I didn’t know how to cook healthy meals and ate lots of take out,” she said.

“I think being uneducated on how to stay fit and healthy and also having the student life made it hard.

“I was really insecure and hated how I looked. I used to wear really loose clothes because I knew how big I was. All my friends were skinnier and that used to make it harder for me.

Before and after. Ekam Grewal / mediadrumworld.com

“It took a toll on my drinking because it led to me feeling depressed about how I looked.

“I met someone who was really into fitness and had good experience in it. He sat me down and explained to me how unhealthy I was and helped me to change.

“I saw how his lifestyle was and I wanted the same. I always wanted to lose weight but it took having that conversation to make me realise how bad it was.

Before and after. Ekam Grewal / mediadrumworld.com

 

“I started by doing a course called Pure Loser at the Pure Gym near my university. I did that for six weeks through knowledge of what to do and how to eat and saw that I managed to lose four pounds.

“This gave me motivation to continue. I began going to the gym with my roommate. We would go together and do a weights session, followed by cardio and tried to do this minimum three to four times a week. It was trial and error.”

Now, Ekam weight trains five times a week, does cardio six times a week and eats balanced meals. For Ekam, the hardest thing about the change was managing her social life.

Now. Ekam Grewal / mediadrumworld.com

 

“The hardest thing was my social life. Trying to eat healthy and ensure you go to the gym enough during the week but also hanging out with friends and going out,” she added.

“The hardest part is sticking to a diet when you’re out with your friends and they’re all drinking and eating food and you can’t. It’s kind of like peer pressure. I struggled with this a lot the past few months.

“I would go out with friends and they would eat and then I would feel the need to eat and that would completely throw off my diet. Also working in an office job, there was pressure to always go out and drink and socialise which made it hard to stay consistent.

Now. Ekam Grewal / mediadrumworld.com

 

“People are shocked and I don’t think anyone thought that I would be the that girl. The girl to get into fitness. I never thought I’d be that girl either.

“Now I have girls messaging me asking for advice and saying that they are where I used to be. I think people trust me to ask for advice because they’ve seen how long it’s taken me and how hard I’ve worked.

“I’ve even had a few girls get in touch asking me to personal train them when I qualify.”

Ekam shared her advice to others.

Now. Ekam Grewal / mediadrumworld.com

 

“I would say the hardest part is getting started. The first few weeks when you’re eating somewhat healthy and going to the gym are the hardest but if you stick to it for two to three weeks, that’s all you need to see a change,” she said.

“It was when I saw a drop in weight that I realised what I’m doing is actually working and then it became addictive and easier to stay strict.

“I would say go to the gym two to four times a week and do a mix of weights and cardio and have a balanced diet.”

For more information see www.instagram.com/ekg.fit