From dowdy mum-of-four to bodybuilder: Meet Samantha the supermum

The mum-of-four is just weeks away from competing in her first bodybuilding competition – just less than a year after giving birth to little Bobbie.

While most mums spend months fighting the flab after having a baby, incredibly Sam has a six pack, weighs under nine stone and even a size six top is too loose on her.

In fact, it’s safe to say with her ripped physique, Sam is in the shape of her life as she gears up to take part in the prestigious Don Styler bodybuilding championships in Gosport on July 5.

But just two years ago her life was a different story.

The 30-year-old suffered the ultimate heartache when she had three miscarriages close together.

Feeling low and depressed, she turned to food for comfort and soon found herself at 13 stone and wearing a size 16 – four stone heavier than she is today.

Samantha before

But seeing an unflattering picture of herself on Facebook gave her the motivation she needed to ditch her unhealthy lifestyle of takeaways to focus on transforming her body.

Sam, from Bitterne Park, joined Slimming World and then joined a gym.

The weight started falling off and then she turned her sights to bodybuilding.

Now she has a ripped physique most mums would die for and has even launched her own body conditioning business, Samantha Young’s Core Conditioning, to get women into shape.

But, despite running around after four children, Sam says she is a normal person and anyone can achieve the goals she set herself.

Samantha when she was pregnant with her family 

She said: “I had three miscarriages very close together and I was just devastated.

“A friend of mine put a picture on Facebook and I didn’t realise how bad things were until I saw that. I was crushed.

“In March 2012 I decided enough was enough. I went to the gym in Bitterne Leisure Centre and I didn’t even have the right clothes to wear.

“If I waited to get the new clothes, by the time I went to the gym I would have put on another stone.

“I started training three times a week, I felt better and proactive.

“A friend introduced me to Slimming World and that’s when I saw the first stone come off. I got more enjoyment and I got the bug. I started to train more intensely and increased the weight – I saw dramatic losses.”

It was at this point she sought out the services of Hampshire bodybuilder, Marina Cornwall.

Interested in getting into the sport, she introduced Sam to Spartans Gym in St Mary’s.

Sam totally cut out alcohol and limited fats and sugars in her body.

But then her training hit took a different turn with the birth of Bobbie.

“I started to see really good results and Marina said why don’t I compete?”, Sam said.

“Then I had a happy accident, which was Bobbie. I didn’t want to put him at risk and decided not to train while I was pregnant.

“I gave birth to Bobbie and wanted to get back into training.

“It was tough, especially with night feeds, but I knew that I didn’t want to spend a year out.

“He was such a big baby at 10lb 4oz. As soon as he went on the bottle, I was able to trip my diet back.”

Sam, who weighed 14st 5lb post pregnancy and is 5ft3ins, is now on a strict training programme. Now sponsored by Spartans Gym she trains every day, which includes 40-50 minutes cardio and weights and with hard work and determination she soon began to see results.

Her family are fully supportive of her bodybuilding career. Her children, Mackenzie, 9, Khodie, 6, and Gracie, 5, as well as ten-month old Bobbie, are now enjoying active and healthy lifestyles as a result of their mum’s dedication.

Her husband Danny is also a fitness fanatic and is aiming to compete in bodybuilding competitions next year.

Sam said: “Being a mum of four with a dog and a husband is hard work.

“But it doesn’t matter what obstacles we find in the way, I went for it because I had a dream and I’ve had to make sacrifices.

“I have a dream to be a bodybuilding champion and I’ll do what it takes to do it and so the sacrifice doesn’t faze me.

“Becoming slim and toned didn’t come naturally though – I had to work at it. I just did it because I knew something had to change.

“Never in a million years did I think I’d look how I do today.

“I am a different human being.

“I was a stay at home mum – being a mum is a massive thing for all mothers.

“But I can now say I am something other than a mum and I am extremely proud of myself.

“There have been thousands of times when I wanted to give up because I am tired, hungry or have not got the money.

“I could not have got where I am today had it not been for the love and support of my dear friends and family in Bournemouth, Southampton and Luton.

“There have been times where they had the children for me so I can train or rest at times. I am deeply grateful for all of their help.

“Ultimately bodybuilding has given me my life back again. If I was still living the lifestyle I did have, the pain of the miscarriages would still be haunting me but it’s given me the strength to find myself and be the best mum I can be.”

To get in contact with Sam search Samantha Young’s Core Conditioning on Facebook.