Ipswich mum drops from size 16 to a super-slim size 8 as whole family transform their lives

Left to right, Loai Mahmood, Bryce, Sue, Adam and James Kelly.

Nicola Warren met the Kellys at DW Fitness in Ipswich to find out more about their healthy new lifestyle

As I walk into the gym, I’m in no doubt as to the identity of the fit family I’m here to meet, sitting at a table in their gym gear are Sue Kelly and two of her sons James and Adam.

With the help of personal trainer Loai Mahmoud, they and dad Bryce, who would join us later, have transformed their bodies.

Though Loai says Sue has done the best out of all of his clients, I can tell he is fiercely proud of all of them, scrolling through the camera roll on his iPad to show me their before pictures.

Bryce Kelly before and after (Image: Archant)

Loai’s enthusiasm for exercise and healthy eating, and to just help people, is infectious. No wonder, then, that the Kellys have done so well under his guidance.

It was when she was approaching her fiftieth birthday that Sue decided to make some changes.

“I was quite big and I had three boys and couldn’t keep up with them,” she explained. “We used to go to the gym when the boys were little – I’m talking more than 10 years ago – because the boys did a lot of activities.

“Once they became teenagers, we stopped going. That’s when we piled on the weight.”

It was only when James and Adam, who had always been active, joined a gym that their mum and dad followed suit.

“Loai did my induction at the gym and persuaded me to try to do the personal training,” she added.

“He asked me what I wanted to get out of the gym and I said get fit and lose a bit of weight.”

Sue admits she didn’t like Loai at first. “He said I was fat!” she said.

But soon they were all following Loai’s healthy eating and exercise plan – all slightly different to meet each of their goals.

Sue admits she is not a great cook and previously the family were eating a lot of oven chips, convenience foods and takeaways.

Bryce, Sue says, had “a real thing for puddings”. “He would go to Tesco and come out with a big bar of chocolate,” she added. He’d say it was for the boys, but he would be the only one who’d eat it.”

Nowadays, they tend to only eat desserts on special occasions and dinners comprise of meat, usually chicken, with complex carbohydrates like sweet potato and vegetables.

Sue visits the gym three times a week, Bryce four times and James and Adam four to five times a week.

They are a walking advert for Loai, with Sue’s lean figure admired by her fellow midwives.

“Lots of people are scrutinising my lunch box – they think it’s a magic potion,” she said.

Meanwhile, James and Adam’s biceps are bursting out of their t-shirts.

“Loai’s cost us a fortune in clothes!” Sue added.

But it’s not just about how they look and what they wear now, one big change is how they feel inside.

James, 20, who works for BT along with his dad, said: “I think confidence is a big thing, that’s really increased.”

“I’m happier now, I’ve got more confidence,” added student nurse Adam, 22.

Dad Bryce, 50, said: “You just feel so much better and you feel younger.

Sue, 51, added: “Whenever we went on holiday, Bryce wouldn’t take his top off. But when we went away earlier this year, he never had it on!”

It has brought the family together too. “The boys talk about the gym and their food,” Sue explained. “We do things together more now. Before, we’d just do our own thing.”

“It’s become a really good thing that we all do as a family,” added Bryce.

“It’s nice to have that communal interest.”

Nowadays Sue and Bryce go to the gym together, as do James and Adam. And the family have become quite competitive.

While Sue has got up to 325kg on the leg press (just as a comparison, I do 50kg…), James has managed to get up to 500kg. Although mum is keen to point out it was just three reps.

It’s a big turnaround for the whole family. Sue, for example, has dropped from a size 16 to a size 8.

If Sue and the Kelly family have inspired you, Loai offers one-to-one personal training programmes as well as group classes, called Reshape.

“From my experience, it’s always scary and intimidating at the beginning,” said Loai.

“Walking into the gym for the first time takes a lot of guts.”

But he says once you’ve taken the first step, you’ll never look back. “I’ve seen that over and over again.”

If you want to take that first step with Loai, search for ‘LOAI Fitness’ on Facebook or call 07922 880325.