Greggs addict Staceylee Richards, from Newport, ditches pasties for body building

Staceylee Richards, 38, used to squeeze herself into a size 16.

She found Greggs ''too tempting'' to resist as she walked past the bakery multiple times a day while at work.

But the former banking manager now a personal trainer and bodybuilder, gave up pasties and sweet treats.

She dropped six dress sizes and 6st, and now weighs 9.2 stone.

Staceylee, from Newport, Wales, said: "I was addicted to food and I would think about it constantly.

"It was my comfort for when I had ups and downs as food always made me feel better until later on when the guilt would hit.

SWNS (Image: SWNS)

SWNS (Image: SWNS)

"Working in the banking office was hard as there was temptation everywhere; if it was someone's birthday, there would be a cake, or at long meetings we'd have biscuits and coffee.

"But the biggest culprit was the Greggs down the road.

"I'd go every lunchtime and order the usual; a steak bake, a sausage and bean melt, ham and cheese baguette and a jam doughnut.

"Thinking about it now, makes me feel sick but that was the norm for me.

''My eating and lifestyle habits are worlds away from my banking days and I couldn't be happier."

Stacylee admits she always had a turbulent relationship with food and felt like the ''fat friend'' during her school years.

She said: "Growing up, I was always bigger than my friends.

"I used to compare myself to my smaller girlfriends. It would get me down and I'd comfort eat.

"When I was 11-years-old I went to secondary school wearing a size 12 skirt and I just kept getting bigger."

Staceylee's rocky food relationship continued into her 20s and her weight would yo-yo from fad diets to binges.

SWNS (Image: SWNS)

In March 2014, Staceylee, then a size 18, joined a slimming group where she lost eight dress sizes in 12 months, leaving her weighing just 10.5st.

However, despite the amazing results, Staceylee found herself slipping into unhealthy habits of restriction and then excessively rewarding herself.

Staceylee said: "Whilst I got good results, I still found temptations all around.

"There was a chip shop right by where we'd meet each week.

"On weigh-in day, I'd starve myself all day and then reward myself with a greasy bettered sausage, cheesy chips and gravy.

"Even after losing the weight, I still had an unhealthy relationship with food."

But after joining the gym in 2015, the now bodybuilder found that she loved the environment and started weight training.

Staceylee said: "I loved seeing the results and my muscles getting more and more defined.

"The person who introduced me to the gym taught me the ropes and I'd look online for exercises and tips.

"Soon after, I started following bodybuilders on Instagram and began seeing muscle definition which I loved.

SWNS (Image: SWNS)

"It was so refreshing to be active after the long hours I was working at the bank.''

Staceylee found that the slimming group no longer served her lifestyle and she left in March 2015 to focus on weight training at the gym.

In July 2017, Staceylee was made redundant from her banking job of nearly 10 years and she threw herself into her bodybuilding training which saw her compete in her first body building competition, Bodypower in May 2018.

The personal trainer said: "I was so nervous but elated after I did it.

"Even though I didn't place, it was my first competition and I was so proud of myself.

"The preparation that goes into competitions is insane, so from going to eating excessively to the self control required to be a contestent, was just amazing."

Staceylee then completed her first ever bodybuilder competitive year which saw her invited to the PCA British Finals.

However, when lockdown hit in 2020, like most of the UK, Staceylee was thrown into uncertainty and found herself falling back into old habits.

"In the first seven weeks of lockdown, I put on two stone which was crazy!'' she admitted.

"I missed going to the gym to train for competitions and found myself comfort eating again.

"Like any addictions, once I'd had a taste, I couldn't stop.

"I'd eat biscuits with cups of tea when watching TV and my love of potatoes was back in full force."

But in October of last year, weighing 15st, Stacylee became determined to get back into shape and contacted her old training coach.

She said: "I went to the gym every day and me and my coach would train weekly. I've managed to shed just shy of six stone.

"Now I can't even find women's size four jeans that fit and I have to shop in the children's section!"

Staceylee credits her results to consistency in both diet and exercise and her personal training business has been going from strength to strength.

"What I've learnt and what I tell my clients now is you can't fix a bad diet with exercise alone.

''It has to be a two-pronged attack if you want results.

"I used to believe that I could eat whatever I wanted as long as I went to the gym."

Last month, Staceylee came first in the Fit X Welsh Championships which is her first win since getting back into her training.

"Words can't describe how proud I felt on that stage!

"Just last year, I was in such a bad place both physically and emotionally, so to be able to get back to my competition physique and get such a big win, it's very exciting.

"I'm living proof that you can come back after many lows.

"When I put on the weight during lockdown, there were times I didn't think I would get back to this point, but with hard work and determination, I did it.

"I'm the happiest I've ever been and I wouldn't swap that for the world, especially not a Greggs steak bake!".