{"id":17632,"date":"2026-04-07T17:27:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T17:27:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=17632"},"modified":"2026-04-07T17:27:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T17:27:36","slug":"i-was-a-bodybuilder-living-on-peanut-butter-to-look-lean-but-was-never-truly-happy-with-how-i-looked-says-mafs-abigail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=17632","title":{"rendered":"I was a bodybuilder living on peanut butter to look lean but was never truly happy with how I looked, says MAFS\u2019 Abigail"},"content":{"rendered":"


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MARRIED at First Sight bride Abigail Chahwan has opened up about putting herself through gruelling bodybuilding competitions, but still not feeling truly happy in her body.<\/p>\n

The 35-year-old veterinary nurse revealed how she shed 12kg for the bikini contests<\/a> and would survive on as little as 700 calories in the weeks leading up to it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the Fabulous<\/span> newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThank you!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Married at First Sight\u2019s Abigail Chahwan opened up about taking part in intense bodybuilding competitions<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Abigail won fans after starring on Channel 4\u2019s MAFS last year, where she was paired with John Shepherd, who she is still with today<\/span>Credit: Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Abigail shared how she would gym twice a day, up to seven days a week for her bodybuilding physique<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Abigail<\/a> \u2013 who was happily paired with groom John Shepherd<\/a>, 39, on the Channel 4<\/a> show \u2013 told The Sun how she wanted to be a bodybuilder<\/a> after seeing enviable snaps on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She revealed: \u201cI\u2019ve always been interested in fitness and sports. I was always named the fastest girl in the school.<\/p>\n

\u201cI discovered the gym once I went to university, and I thought, I want to learn how to lift properly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was kind of when I discovered bodybuilding<\/a> on Instagram, and I just saw everyone\u2019s physiques and how dedicated they were.\u201d<\/p>\n

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MEDICAL DASH<\/p>\n

MAFS bride rushed to A&E after suffering nasty animal bite<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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wowie<\/p>\n

I had explosive reunion with Towie star ex on TV after cheat claims, says MAFS\u2019 Reiss<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Determined Abigail hired a coach, and signed up for her first competition in August 2021 \u2013 later doing a second in November 2022.<\/p>\n

Immediately she was thrown in the deep end with the \u201cintense\u201d fitness training.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Abigail, who now boasts 164,000 followers on her Instagram<\/a>, would work out twice daily, with some weeks doing up to seven days in the gym.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She explained: \u201cI was doing like an hour on the Stairmaster in the morning at 6am, and then I would go to work and then after work, I\u2019ll go straight back to the gym, do an hour of weights, and then 40 minutes on the Stairmaster again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her new diet was also a shock to the system.<\/p>\n

The first stage of the training was \u201cbulking\u201d, where she could enjoy a surplus of food \u2013 around 2,200 calories.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then came the six-month \u201ccut phase\u201d where you reduce calories and increase your exercise in order to lose body fat and show the muscles that you\u2019ve built.<\/p>\n

Abigail took part in bodybuilding competitions in August 2021 and in November 2022<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The MAFS star, who now lives with John <\/a>after he relocated from Wales<\/span> to her home in Bournemouth<\/a>, explained: \u201cAll my meals I had to follow certain macros and calories. I ate the same thing more or less every single day.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the day of the show, I was just having 50 grams of chicken with a little bit of peanut butter and maybe one rice cake.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very, very, very low calories. I think towards the end, I was probably maybe on about 700 to 900 calories.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly she \u201cwent a bit all out\u201d with her first \u201cproper\u201d meal after the show was over, and tucked into burgers, a milkshake, fries and chicken bites.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Abigail shared how her social life during training was not existent and she became a \u201cbit of a shell\u201d of herself towards the end due to lack of energy<\/span>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Close to competition time, she would survive on as little as 700 calories a day<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

She added: \u201cYou do have to sacrifice a lot of things if this is kind of your goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I was going out for dinner, I couldn\u2019t eat what was on the menu. You\u2019d have to take your own meal prep.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember just trying to get through the day and obviously when you\u2019re trying to have such a high pressure job and you need to focus mentally and also physically, I found that very, very taxing.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the stand-out memories for her was during a family holiday when brought her own protein powder<\/a> with her and weighed out her food on scales at the dinner table \u2013 which the waiter found baffling.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d also have to be strict with what she drank, and would \u201cwater load\u201d up to five litres in a day, which would see her rush to the loo every half an hour.<\/p>\n

This dramatically decreased on show day, where she could only consume 100ml with meals to avoid her \u201cbloating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abigail admitted that even at her leanest, she didn\u2019t fully love the way she looked<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Abigail’s bodybuilder diet<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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  • Turkey bacon and veg<\/li>\n
  • Chicken and cabbage or cucumber<\/li>\n
  • Oats with protein powder<\/li>\n
  • Peanut butter and strawberries<\/li>\n
  • Coco Pops with protein powder and almond milk<\/li>\n
  • Chicken and vegetables<\/li>\n
  • 0% Greek yoghurt with peanut butter and strawberries<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

    Through her extreme efforts, she lost 12kg, which was aimed to be fat rather than muscle.<\/p>\n

    However, despite being the \u201cleanest\u201d she\u2019d ever been, Abigail revealed she still didn\u2019t feel good enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    She candidly admitted: \u201cIt\u2019s crazy because none of my clothes fit me at all, and I never saw myself as lean enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    \u201cYou look at it as an object, your body. You poke holes in your body, and be like, I\u2019m not lean enough here, not lean enough there. I need to lose fat there.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    \u201cSo even though I was the leanest I\u2019ve ever been in my entire life, I was still at that point didn\u2019t think I was lean enough or stage ready.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    \u201cYou always wish you had a couple more weeks before you get on stage because you\u2019ll keep competing against so many other hardworking, incredible athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Abigail and John went from strength to strength on Married at First Sight \u2013 and remained together after the process<\/span>Credit: Channel 4<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Not only was the competition taxing physically, but it also set her back \u201cthousands\u201d too.<\/p>\n

    Alongside \u00a3250-a-month coaching, she forked out for \u00a330 an hour posing classes, \u00a3200 competition entry fees, and her costumes \u2013 with her stand-out pink<\/span> sparkly showday bikini costing a whopping \u00a3600.<\/p>\n

    Abigail described bodybuilding as a \u201cweird sport\u201d putting your bodies up to be judged aesthetically, but admitted she found the whole concept \u201cvery exciting and thrilling.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Each of her two competitions<\/span> had three rounds, and she was delighted to end up coming second in a number of these.<\/p>\n

    Coming so close to winning has inspired Abigail that, despite the extremely intensive training, she would actually be open to do another bodybuilding competition in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    She joked: \u201cThat\u2019s why I feel like I need to go back again.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Abigail said she used to take scales on holiday to weigh her food during bodybuilding training<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    Abigail said John isn\u2019t likely to join her in bodybuilding competitions in the future<\/span>Credit: Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    While MAFS boyfriend John is in full support of her pursuits, Abigail joked he won\u2019t be joining her in a bodybuilding competition any time soon.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI didn\u2019t think he would ever get on stage\u201d, she laughed. \u201cI\u2019m sure he would support me if I wanted to do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Speaking about whether it was a \u201chealthy\u201d competition for her mentally, she insisted: \u201cI think for a short amount of time, if you want to work towards a goal, then yes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    \u201cBut I think before you start, I think you have to be in a good state of mind and I think be happy within your body.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    \u201cI think I don\u2019t think anyone should do it to kind of lose weight because it\u2019s a very extreme sport.\u201d<\/p>\n

    John relocated from Wales to Abigail\u2019s home in Bournemouth this year<\/span>Credit: Instagram\/abigail_l1ndsay<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Now, Abigail \u2013 who now gyms four times a week and is training to become a fitness instructor to help others \u2013 says she has a more \u201chealthy relationship\u201d with food.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    \u201cI don\u2019t kind of like to punish myself if I go out for a burger\u201d, she shared.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt\u2019s like trying to find a balance, which to be honest has taken me some time, a good few years to get to that point.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The reality star said that some habits die hard and she still does weight her portions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    She explained: \u201cI still stick to a certain amount of calories. I\u2019m on about 1,600 calories at the minute. I still feel like I still have a lot of energy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    \u201cI\u2019m still enjoying my food and having all the foods I like to do while still maintaining my goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Abigail is now training to be a personal trainer to help others on their fitness journeys<\/span>Credit: Supplied<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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    NHS guidance for calories <\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\tA \u201cHEALTHY\u201d daily calorie intake depends on sex, age, size, and activity level, but there are standard UK guideline ranges you can use as a baseline.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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    As a guide:<\/p>\n

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    • an average man needs 2,500kcal a day<\/li>\n
    • an average woman needs 2,000kcal a day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      This could be different based on your:<\/p>\n

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      • age<\/li>\n
      • weight<\/li>\n
      • height<\/li>\n
      • how much exercise you do<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Source: NHS<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n