Pop Idol's Michelle McManus lifts weights in the gym as she admits to seeing exercise as her 'enemy' - after showing off NINE stone weight loss By Sean O'grady For Mailonline Published: 11:31 BST, 27 August 2024 | Updated: 12:09 BST, 27 August 2024 e-mail 16 shares 4 View comments Michelle McManus has showed off her recent nine stone weight loss as she gave fans a glimpse at her workout routine on Tuesday. The Pop Idol star, 44, has been reaping the benefits of strength training over the last year and a half. The singer, who is based in Glasgow, shared snaps of herself working out with dumbbells and a weighted barbell.
In a candid post, Michelle admitted she previously saw exercise as her 'enemy' and didn't have the self-confidence to do it. She wrote: 'One of the greatest joys I've experienced over the past 19 months is the discovery of functional strength training. Michelle McManus has showed off her recent nine stone weight loss as she gave fans a glimpse at her workout routine on Tuesday The Pop Idol star, 44, has been reaping the benefits of strength training over the last year and a half 'For so long exercise was the enemy.
I did everything to avoid it, as I didn't have the belief or confidence in myself that I could do it. It always seemed beyond me and something only other people were good at.' 'That all changed when I met @thrivefitnessglasgow.
By that point I had already lost a significant amount of weight through calorie deficit and I wanted to move on to my next goal, getting strong and fit.' Praising her personal trainer, she added: 'Jenna's approach was not to measure how fast I could run or how much I could lift, but instead it was more about creating a strong mind and body for my everyday life. 'Thrive Fitness Glasgow is such a safe space.
Jenna has brought together a really vibrant community of people all with different levels of fitness who are looking to get strong and put effective practices into place to enhance their life experience. 'It has been so beneficial to not only my physical health, but my mental wellbeing too.' It comes after Michelle showed off her incredible body transformation after losing nine stone.
The singer, who has previously spoke about her battle with weight and journey to sobriety, displayed her slender frame in a lime green dress for a stunning Instagram snap. Yet Michelle - who won season two of Pop Idol in 2003 - revealed the biggest change had been to her mindset, explaining that she had learnt about self love and self worth. The singer, who is based in Glasgow, shared snaps of herself working out with dumbbells and a weighted barbell In a candid post, Michelle admitted she previously saw exercise as her 'enemy' and didn't have the self-confidence to do it She wrote: 'One of the greatest joys I've experienced over the past 19 months is the discovery of functional strength training' Alongside a before and after snap, she explained: 'Sometimes it’s okay to stop and take stock of what you’ve achieved.
'For the past year or so I’ve been making changes in my life to help me reach the place in which I now find myself. Happily it is a place of good health and contentment.' Michelle continued: 'I love both versions of myself in the above two photos.
'The image on the left was taken in late 2022, eight months after I’d given birth to my second beautiful baby and I’d just started a new job presenting The Afternoon Show on @bbcradioscot. 'Even though life was going great for me, at the time I was very tired both physically and mentally. 'If I’m honest, I was also struggling with my fitness - caring for two babies under three was my priority and working on myself was not something I had dedicated time to considering, let alone doing.
'The photograph on the right was taken a few weeks ago, behind the scenes at a photoshoot I did in Glasgow . In total I’ve dropped 9st through calorie deficit and introducing exercise into my life.' It comes after Michelle showed off her incredible body transformation after losing nine stone with a before and after snap after going on a journey of 'self love and self worth' Despite being proud of her weight loss , Michelle insisted that she didn't care about her physical transformation, but her change in attitude.
She explained: 'Looking at these images side by side, I can honestly say the numbers attached to both are almost irrelevant. 'It’s not about the label on the clothing or what it says on the scales, but instead I’ve learned it’s truly all about how you feel about yourself. 'Life gets in the way, situations change and priorities shift.
'Someone introduced me to a great quote recently that really resonated with me: “The only lifelong relationship we’ll ever have is the one with ourselves”. 'It is something I’ve learned too, loving yourself and feeling self-worth is so important. It’s taken me such a long time to understand that, but thankfully now, at 44-years-old, I finally get it, and perhaps that is the biggest and best transformation of all.
❤️' Michelle added the hashtags: '#bodypositivity #transformation #selflove #bodyneutrality #allbodiesarebeautiful #bodyconfidence #bekindtoyourself.' Michelle - who won season two of Pop Idol in 2003 (pictured) - revealed the biggest change had been to her mindset, explaining that she had learnt about self love and self worth Michelle admitted that during her time on Pop Idol she struggled with people scrutinising her looks (pictured left in 2023 and right on the show in 2003) Michelle, who has been sober for five years, shares sons Harry, four, and Nicholas Peter, two, with her husband Jeff Nimmo. In 2016, Michelle admitted that during her time on Pop Idol she struggled with people scrutinising her looks.
Speaking on Lorraine at the time, she said: 'It was difficult, everyone wants to look the best they can look. I was only 24, I'd never been to London, it was always made such a big deal, I've been up and down, It's always going to be a part of me. 'I think it will always be a part of me, even if I was to lose all the weight and become a real skinny minny, it would still somehow be there.
' Be the first to comment Be one of the first to comment Comments Have you ever experienced a major personal transformation? How did it change you? Comment now Michelle also said that she wanted to 'wire her jaw up' ahead of her wedding in order to lose weight. Last year, Michelle opened up on her decision to cut out alcohol, admitting that when drinking she 'didn't have a stop button'. She appeared on Loose Women in December 2023, 20 years after winning the second series of Pop Idol.
Discussing her win, she said: 'I can't believe it's been so long! I was 23 at the time and I don't think I'd be able to go through that now with social media. I don't think I would have been mentally strong enough.' Michelle then got emotional as she recalled her experience in the competition, as it was tainted by judgements about her looks.
Michelle, who has been sober for five years, shares two sons Harry, four, and Nicholas Peter, two, with her husband Jeff Nimmo (pictured) Michelle confessed: 'If I’m honest, I was also struggling with my fitness - caring for two babies under three was my priority and working on myself was not something I had dedicated time to' She broke into tears as she described feeling 'such shame' over the trolling she received and stories written about her while on the show. Michelle said: 'It was really difficult. I don't know why I'm getting emotional now, it was twenty years ago.
" 'One of the first articles that popped out said at the top "Can Michelle sing? Yes. Is she going to be a pop star? But come on lads, you wouldn't would you?" And that's where it went.' She went on: 'I felt such shame from some of the comments like I had let everyone down.
I couldn't understand why people had voted for me because of the comments. 'I would say no now if my daughter asked to go on a show like that because of social media now.' Michelle then discussed her decision to stop drinking, after she chose to go sober four years ago.
She confessed she had an unhealthy relationship with booze due to the negative attention she received and that since cutting it out she feels 'more empowered. Michelle said of her time on the show: 'I don't think I'd be able to go through that now with social media. I don't think I would have been mentally strong enough' She said: 'I love alcohol.
For a long time alcohol was my best friend. 'Then when I got in my late thirties, early forties, alcohol kind of fell out with me and I fell out with alcohol and I just thought it's time to remove it from my life. 'I didn't have a stop button, I'd always have a couple of glasses of red and then be like, "Where's the Jack Daniels?" 'And I just thought I wish I could be a social drinker but I never was, so I just cut it out of my life.
'And now it's been one of the best things I've ever done. That has been a part of me feeling more empowered.' Instagram Share or comment on this article: Pop Idol's Michelle McManus lifts weights in the gym as she admits to seeing exercise as her 'enemy' - after showing off NINE stone weight loss e-mail 16 shares Add comment.
