A SOUTHAMPTON woman’s dramatic transformation from being 14 stone to become a fitness role model has seen her shortlisted for a national award.

Keri White has been shortlisted as a national finalist for The Gym Group’s Be a Game Changer Awards which recognises people in the community who have motivated women to enjoy the benefits of physical activity.

The 32-year-old is a personal trainer and was part of the GB Acrobatic Gymnastics Squad for 10 years.

However, after injury she left behind her tough training and lived a normal life at college and became overweight until the age of 29.

It was then that Keri decided to turn her life - and her body - around.

Keri who lives in the Coxford area of the city achieved this through transforming her food and lifestyle approach and consumption and is now a size 10.

Keri who has been a personal trainer for two years now is inspiring others to follow her footsteps.

She e helps women achieve their fitness goals by devising personalised workouts and healthy eating regimes for them.

The steps she took to get from overweight to a fitness role model is the reason that she is today being recognised as a finalist for these awards.

Keri said: “My experience made me want to help others who may be on a tough physical and mental journey to improve their health, wellbeing and reach their ideal body composition.

“As I’ve got older my mindset has changed and I am far more focussed on my inner health and wellbeing. Once people realise how good it feels to be healthy, the motivation self-perpetuates.

“I teach my clients that numbers on a scale or clothes sizes do not define them, determine their worth, value or self-image.

“I help them to develop a healthier relationship with nutrition and exercise.

“Seeing my ladies walk into the gym, holding their heads up high as opposed to looking down at the floor, seeing them pick up the dumbbells with confidence, bumping into them in the supermarket with a healthy balanced trolley of food, or them texting me a picture of themselves in a new party dress, truly fills me with joy.”

Keri believes the key to a healthy lifestyle is a balance of in her words 90 per cent healthy and the other 10 per cent can be for meals out or even a drink or two with friends.

She added: “I just want people to see my story and say that it is possible, I have gone from one extreme to another, it is hard but you have to stick it it.”