Published: Thursday, 28th January, 2010 6:58am

Green tea helps Laura shed four stones!

by Matt Meade

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A FORMER Crossgates couch potato is now in the exercise elite after winning a national body competition.

Laura Muirhead (28), Main Street, was announced recently as the Motivate category winner of the UK Maxitone Body of 2009, run by sports nutrition company Maximuscle.

And she put her stunning figure down to tough sessions in the gym, protein shakes and green tea.

"I was a couch potato, I went home and did nothing - just watch soaps all night," said the 5ft 6in beautician whose strict regime saw her weight go from 12st 8lbs to a svelte 8st 1lb.

"I lost it quite gradually over two years but I was really under-confident and I didn't start training or taking supplements until I'd lost a bit of weight. Then I started using protein to tone up.

"I think a lot of people lose weight too quickly and it's unrealistic to maintain that.

"But I lost it gradually and the more toning up I did the more I noticed results. I never get bored cos it's my hobby."

And she revealed to the Press her secret weapon: "Green tea.

"Eight to ten cups a day helps you burn an extra percentage of fat. It's also anti-ageing!" she laughed.

Laura's dramatic turnaround came when she was looking at holiday snaps and realised she was the fattest person in the group.

Now she trains five to six times a week at Bannatyne's Health Club, Halbeath Leisure Park, mixing body pump and body attack sessions, with weights and running.

Laura's boyfriend of two years, Andrew Fieldsend, suggested she enter the competition after seeing it online.

Now her image and inspiring story will be told in front counter magazines in Boots and Holland & Barrett.

Laura, whose sister, Kirsteen, co-presents Ireland's TV3 Europa League show, added, "The response from family and friends has been amazing.

"When I was bigger nobody really mentioned that I was overweight but once I lost it they ask me for training tips.

And those tips?

"Don't lie to yourself - you've got be honest.

"When you go out for lunch you've got to know what's good and what's not.

"But also don't deprive yourself of anything."

She also recommends high-cardio and interval training, doing push-ups on a barbell ("that helps you core because you really have to balance") and "swears by" using a vibrating power plate machine.

She also includes protein shakes from Maxitone's female range as it "stops me craving chocolate!"

For more information on Laura's transformation visit www.maxitone.com