Peterborough Woman Wins First Fitness Competition After Losing Over 155 Pounds

Peterborough’s Terri-Lynn and her three-year weight loss quest of over 155 pounds resulted in a first-place finish at the International Drug Free Athletics (IDFA) Bodybuilding Competition at the City Playhouse Theatre in Vaughan.

Terri-Lynn’s before and after photos of her 155 pound transformation. Her competition outfit was made using roughly 6,000 rhinestones that she handmade. Photos courtesy of Terri-Lynn.

Terri-Lynn (who requested her last name be withheld) won in the intergender Transformational Challenge on Oct. 23. She started training for the event in July, working out six days a week for two to three hours. Terri-Lynn lost an additional 20 pounds leading up to the competition.

“I’ve been training with Krista Easto,” she explained. “She gave me a set meal plan and workout plan and was with me every step of the way including cheering me on when I walked across that stage.”

She started her transformation in February 2020 after feeling dissatisfied and coming to terms with her prior lifestyle. She did lots of weightlifting as most of her workout routine during her weight-loss journey.

“I was just not happy. I wasn't living my life the way I wanted to,” explained Terri-Lynn. “I couldn't move very easily. I had knee pain and I was on medication that I didn't want to be on. I just needed to make a full lifestyle change.”

Terri-Lynn said she felt she was regressing in her exercise routines and needed something to reignite her fitness regime. The competition was the perfect motivation to get her back on track.

“In July, I had gotten back into a rut and I needed something to motivate me and get me out of it,” she explained. “I've seen a few people I follow on Instagram who have also lost a massive amount of weight. They were doing fitness competitions.”

Originally, Terri-Lynn wanted to enter the competition to give her ‘biggest loser’ finale moment as her journey’s climax and becoming dramatically healthier.

“This was solely for me,” she said. “I didn't care to compete. I wanted to walk on that stage — in a jewelled bikini that I made myself — and show off to the world that I did it.”

For anyone wanting to start their journey similar to Terri-Lynn’s, she says now is the best time to start.

“Just do it,” she said. “You slowly start to fall in love with doing that it makes you want to do more and be more active.”

Terri-Lynn says she wants to compete in future competitions next summer if possible.

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