Claire Torr's Transformed Figure, Feb 11

When 26 year old Claire Torr stood on stage at the NABBA Waikato show in July 2010, she presented a figure of health with her lean body and toned muscles shining under the stage lights.

But if we had caught up with Claire a year or just 3 months from her comp we all would've walked passed her as she would've been unrecognisable to us all. You see 12 weeks before the NABBA Waikato Claire was still padded up and weighing around 62kg. And that was after she had lost 10kg. Imagine!

She hid her weight under big dresses and denied she was overweight. Until she had to lose weight to play a 'munchkin' in the Wizard of Oz, that was when her weight loss and contest journey began.

Claire Torr

In this profile, we find out what triggered Claire to change her bad diet and lifestyle habits and how she copes with the constant temptations that still surround her everyday.

NB Claire is currently looking for work in the Tauranga region, so if you're looking for a hard working and vivacious Wonder Woman to work for you. Please contact us for her details!

Have you always been into fitness and exercise?
No not always. I did play a bit of soccer when i was younger, outdoors kinda stuff with school, bit of snowboarding, but only got into fitness and health seriously round 3years ago. I struggled being consistent until getting a trainer to be accountable to and getting into training for figure competing around mid may last year.

Looking at you on stage being lean, hard to imagine you were ever big. How much did you weigh at your heaviest (and when). How did you feel at that weight.
I wasn’t big as a kid, but when i hit pre-teens i blew up like a balloon, then kinda struggled from then going up and down and use to get called ‘Thunder Thighs’.

Three years ago i use to weigh around the 78-80kg mark going up and down, which i’d say was the heaviest i ever got. Popping out of my size 16 pants and moving on to wearing only dresses, with bike shorts under to stop the ‘thunder thighs‘ rubbing (I was in denial about my weight and chose to stick to dresses to hide it).

Due to me being short-ish and little boned, that was a lot of weight to carry. Yet i thought I was big boned, and I used that as an excuse for being over weight, along with all the excuses under the sun. I did manage to hide it well under the dresses, i carriedit mostly on my thighs and butt. I also use to hide my emotions a lot, and always tried to came across as a confident, happy go lucky kinda girl, always having a positive attitude, having a laugh, and acted like i didn’t care what i looked like.But deep down i was depressed and use to just eat to make myself feel better.

No way, is this Claire?! This photo was not quite at her biggest, but close to. Mid May 2010, 12 weeks before her first comp, the NABBA Waikato sitting around 62kg.

Also, on one of those depressed days i went though and deleted so many of the ugly big picture’s of myself, which i now regret, but have managed to find a couple on my old computer, these were not at my biggest unfortunately, i use to avoid getting anyphotos taking at full length and only stick to face shots, which i had a lot off...haha i’m sure there is a tone of people out there who use that same trick...haha.

What motivated you to do something about your health and weight?
I love a good challenge, and my fitness adventure started after i lost around 10kgs being a munchkin in a theatre show ‘the wizard of oz‘ sounds strange i know but its true. I kinda just fell into it to begin with, being so busy with the show and dancing around a stage, and not sitting on the couch eating pies any more.

People started to notice, i was surprised and then i started to believe in myself, that maybe i could actually lose the weight. Also an amazing friend of mine Katie Flett, who is so straight up and honest could see that deep down i was very desperate to lose the weight, and didn’t know how to ask for help. She got along side me and use to even take chips outa my hands, haha.

We both look back and have a laugh about those days. So important to surround yourself with positive people who will help you and encourage you to keep going even when its so hard and you want to just give up and down a few pies. Unfortunately i didn’t take before photos when i was at my biggest, these were taken after i had lost around 10kgs after the sho w, around the 70kg mark, when i had decided to actually try and workout and eat healthy.

Claire at Proformance CNI Claire with her OceanBlue Babes team and their super trainer Marise Balough

Why did you take up bodybuilding?
I had just come home from living in Australia, and noticed i had put on a bit of weight and freaked out. So i went straight to join the gym. That is where i meet my lovely trainer Marise Balogh, and she got me into it. I had been curious about figure competing before and wanted to look like them, strong and feminine, and get into the best shape of my life. Never thought i would ever actually do it. How scary, being on stage in a baywatch bikini, giant heels and a ‘vegemite’ tan. But if i can do it, anyone can. I just love it! I’m hooked!!

Your achievements so far?
NABBA Waikato Champs Novice figure 4th place
NABBA Nationals Auckland Novice figure 3rd place
CNI Tauranga Champs Novice figure 1st Place
NZIFBB Waikato Champs Novice Fitness 3rd place, International body figure 1stplace,
and Miss Waikato Overall international body figure.
NZIFBB Nationals Auckland, Open international body figure 1st place

Rosa, Claire and Raechelle

How did you feel after your first bodybuilding contest – and then going on to compete at the Nationals? Did you think you could go so far just in a year.

My first show i was so freaked out that all my wobbly bits would fly around the stage as i did my routine. But after i went on stage, i was so pumped up and just wanted to go back out on stage, i loved it so much. Never did i think i would actually place in a show, let alone take an overall title WOW such a shock, and to go onto the nationals was an amazing experience, i never thought i would make it that far, especially in my first season.

What has been your proudest moment during your journey from Flabs to Abs?
From Flabs to Abs, hehe. I’d say standing on the stage next to Rosa-Maria Romero and Raechelle Chase at the NZIFBB Waikato Champs winning the overall figure title. Looking at that photo and seeing how far i have come over the years, makes me so passionate about helping others achieve there dreams in fitness and health. Who knew that under flab there where abs and under my ‘thunder thighs’ there was aquad, haha. So exciting see the changes i never thought were possible.

Have there people instrumental in your life who’ve helped you with your changes and how have they affected you?
Yes of course, with out the help and encouragement of ‘some’ (i emphasize ‘some‘ because there are people, even some of your closest family and friends, that may have a negative opinion, mostly due to there own insecurities, and will bring you down at times.) but without my amazing family, friends in my life, and the love of God, i would have never been able to achieve what i have so far not only in fitnessand health, but in everyday life. My family and best mate Katie have been the most amazing support’s, with me through good and bad always there with positivity and honesty, and my amazing trainer Marise Balogh she has become like a mother to me so kind and supportive. I’m so grateful for their love in my life.

What’s your goal now?
To take over the world! haha My goals list seems to get bigger and bigger. I’m always dreaming up things i want to do and achieve in life. I’m working on building a bit more muscle at the moment, also aiming to compete again but yet to decide on what shows at this stage, represent NZ on the international stages, try a bit of fitness modeling, start studying to become a Personal Trainer so i can help otherson there fitness and health journey’s, and the list goes on. I would love to be a role model and inspire others encouraging them to aim high, and work there booties hehe.

Claire at NZIFBB Waikato

Do you ever get tempted to your old life of no exercise and bad eating?
Yip, i do indeed. It’s hard for me cause i’m such a ‘foody’ i just love to eat anything and everything. I could eat all day! actually now i think about it, i do eat all day still, its just i have changed from eating pies, to eating healthy veges/meat etc.

Sometimes my mind, friends and family say “oh come on its just this one little piece” but it all adds up if you ‘just have this one piece’ everyday.It’s good to save those naughty’s for cheat meals, keep them as rewards. I just picture where i want to go, and what i want to achieve, and it becomes a lot easier to say no and make good choices.

For example, i picture myself on stage in that baywatch style bikini, giant heels, that awesome vegemite tan, and that works for me.

What’s your advice to other people who perhaps are finding it hard to get off the couch and make a change to their life?

My advice would be to set a date, whether its a competition in bodybuilding or a wedding, and aim to look you best for it. Surround yourself with positive people, and be accountable to them like a trainer who’s monitoring your progress.

Keep positive, even if you fall off the wagon, get up and keep running towards those goals. ‘Perseverance is failing 9 times and succeeding the 10th. - J. Andrews’.

Don’t let falls destroy your future, let them teach you, learn from them and move on. Keep your goals fresh on your mind through the day, it makes decisions easier to make, because you know where you want to be.

Put up photos and quotes to keep you motivated. But at the end of the day, it’s truly only you who can dig deep inside yourself and rip that butt off the couch and go for a walk/run or head to the gym,nobody will do it for you, if you want it enough you will make it happen.

Don’t forget to make it fun! otherwise it may feel like a chore.

Thanks Lisa for allowing me to share part of my story, and to be apart of your amazing site. I hope that i can inspire others to start believing in themselves, that they to can do it to.

Have FUN!!! :)
Yours in Fitness and Health

Claire Rose
1 Feb 2011

Claire also has a blog here

Claire Torr's Transformed Figure, Feb 11

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