Blonde nurse who binged on baked beans and chips transforms herself into jaw-dropping bodybuilding champ
As a student, Pearl Davison used to worry about being caught in a bikini
A WOMAN who battled with self-esteem issues hopes to inspire others after becoming an award-winning bodybuilder and ditching the chips.
Nurse Pearl Davison, from Headingly, Leeds, believed that her student lifestyle had left her “out of shape”.
Even though Pearl was a healthy size 14, she worried that she was piling on the pounds by surviving on a diet of booze, beans and chips.
The 25-year-old mental health specialist remembered: "I fell into a bit of a 'fresher's trap' at university and because I was away from home I just didn't really think about what I was eating.
"I was quite uneducated when it came for food so just ate the usual meals of chips and beans and sandwiches.”
Even though Pearl now shows off her body in bodybuilding contests, she used to hate the thought of wearing a bikini.
Hoping to improve her confidence, the student vowed to start exercising.
She recalled: "I wasn't very active at all and as I noticed I was getting bigger it really affected my self-esteem.
"I had such an unhealthy relationship with food and I knew that I needed to change so that's when I started going to the gym and experimenting with weight training.
"I'd say my body was really out of shape before I started to change but it wasn't just that, I always felt so lethargic and never had any energy."
As well as going to the gym regularly, Pearl also cut-back on her alcohol intake and changed to a healthier diet.
Before the student kicked off her transformation in 2011, she weighed 11st 4lbs and was a size 14.
Five years on, Pearl has dropped almost two stone and is now confident with her size eight body.
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In 2013, after getting hooked on bodybuilding, Pearl took part in her first competition, the Miami Pro World Championship in Hertfordshire.
After scooping a prize for the Bikini Toned category, Pearl was encouraged to compete in three more bodybuilding contests.
Impressively, she’s also a semi-finalist in the Miss England beauty pageant.
Fitness fanatic Pearl now hopes to inspire other women, by spreading the message that they can be sexy and strong.
She explained: "One of the reasons I entered Miss England was to show it doesn't matter what body shape you are, this shouldn't stop you entering into something and believing in.
“Everyone can make a difference if they believe in themselves…
"I hope to be an inspiration to women and show them that they can be strong and achieve what they want in life."