Gisborne mum's triumph FROM BLOATED TO BODY BUILDER!

How Gina dropped 43kg to become a sporting champion

- Fiona Fraser

When Gisborne mum Gina McNeely takes the stage, her family is right there cheering her on as she flexes her muscular 55kg frame in a series of poses. “My girls think I’m Superwoman,” the champion bodybuilder says, her voice tinged with pure pride.

That’s because just a few short years ago, Gina, now 45, was struggling with her weight and the mental toll her bad habits were taking. She describes feeling constantly stressed, exhausted and inadequate as she sought comfort in food.

“I’d have toast, cereal, bacon and eggs all in one sitting,” confides Gina, who is of Whakatohea and Ngati Kahungunu descent. “Then an hour later, a packet of biscuits with my cup of tea. Dinner would be a huge serving of nachos, lasagne or, more often than not, takeaways like fish ’n’ chips or butter chicken.”

Gina and her family – husband Stefan, son Dylan, and twin daughters Kirra and Sasha – had just moved home to New Zealand after living in Australia and were run ragged managing a motel.

“I remember my weight climbing to about 98kg,” says Gina, who suspects she was both depressed and pre-diabetic but never spoke to her GP, family or friends about it. “I’m a very shy person and I was extremely embarrassed about my weight. I was spiralling.”