A woman who spent years battling ‘eating issues’ has revealed the diet and exercise regime she followed to build muscle in just seven months.
Amelia Goldsmith, 23, from Berkshire, struggled with her weight and body image for years after developing an unhealthy relationship with food when she was a child.
Having enrolled in dance classes since the age of three, the psychology graduate felt under constant pressure to look good and be thin for her performances.
During lockdown she shifted her focus towards gaining weight, getting fit and sculpting a muscular behind after discovering weight lifting and finding a personal trainer.
Amelia Goldsmith, 23, from Berkshire, has transformed her body within less than a year after overcoming body image issues. Pictured left: Amelia in August 2020, pictured right: Amelia in March 2021
Amelia said she became so thin that her dance teacher would raise concerns with her mother, but she remained in denial about her eating issues. Pictured: Amelia in December 2020
Amelia said her body started to transform within just four weeks of adjusting her diet – as she became stronger, more toned and her bottom grew too.
She said: ‘I now feel more confident in my body than I ever have and it’s crazy to me that doing the complete opposite of what I was doing before – eating more calories – is what has worked for me.’
Amelia now works out three times a week for an hour, focusing on repetitions of weighted hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts, sumo deadlifts and Bulgarian split squats.
She credits exercise for growing her bum, along with a calorie surplus, resistance training and ditching cardio.
She also eats seven, small meals a day, including a snack after dinner.
‘The main thing is that you have to eat more than what you are burning if you want to grow your booty as this is what will help you to build muscle,’ she explained.
‘Progressive overload in weight training is also really important, increasing the amount of weight you’re lifting, increasing the reps you do each week or reducing your rest time will help to gain muscle in your bum.’
During an average workout, Amelia will do 10-15 reps of each exercise at a lower weight or 3-5 reps of each exercise at a higher weight and always makes sure to include a warm up.
But she maintains that resting is just as important as the hard work in the gym.
She said: ‘Rest days are equally as important as the workouts themselves.
‘If you don’t rest then your body won’t have the time to actually build the muscle you’ve been working to build.
‘I also still eat the same things on my rest days as I would on the days that I workout and I also enjoy long walks.’
Amelia said she was introduced to weight lifting during a backpacking trip to Australia. Pictured left: 8st, pictured right: 10st
Amelia has swapped a low carbohydrate diet for meals that are high in protein and carbs. Pictured: A typical meal
Amelia who boasts 85,000 followers on Instagram, explained that her journey to gain weight began in September 2020.
Amelia said: ‘I had struggled with my weight for years and felt pressure to look good and be a certain size in the small leotards and outfits we wore for dance classes.
‘I got so thin that even my dance teacher would call my mum and express her concerns over my weight, but I would always deny it – I was honestly in denial about my eating issues.’
It wasn’t until Amelia went on a six-month backpacking trip to Australia that things changed, when a friend introduced her to weight lifting.
Amelia said she decided to overhaul her diet because she realised she wasn’t eating enough for weight lifting. Pictured: Amelia in September 2020
Amelia began increasing her calorie intake during lockdown last year, however her body continued to drop pounds. Pictured left: before weight gain, pictured right: week 20
Amelia who now eats 2,800 calories a day, said her bottom began to grow within just four weeks of overhauling her lifestyle
Amelia said she now feels more confident in her body, since becoming stronger and more toned. Pictured left: Amelia’s body at week one, pictured right: week 20
She said: ‘A friend of mine who lived there took me to the gym and introduced me to weight training.
‘I realised it was something that I really enjoyed and it made me feel strong and empowered.
‘It took me about four or five years to realise I needed to change something.
‘While I did understand that food was not something that would hurt me, I was still restricting myself and some of my friends were asking me if I was okay as they noticed I didn’t look healthy.
‘Eventually, I realised that I wasn’t fuelling my body properly for the amount of weight lifting I was doing and that I needed a calorie surplus.’
Amelia said it’s important to eat more than you’re burning, if you want to grow the size of your bottom and build muscle. Pictured left: before, pictured right: now
Amelia’s dinners have included gnocchi, prawns, tomato sauce and vegetables (pictured)
Amelia enjoys snacking on cookies and raspberries, as well as bananas and nuts (pictured)
Amelia slowly began to increase the number of calories she consumed during lockdown last year.
She said at the time 2,200 calories a day was the most she had ever eaten.
However, she continued to drop the pounds due to her metabolism ‘resetting’, which she believes was from years of being in a calorie deficit.
The fitness fan upped her calorie intake again and now eats 2,800 calories a day – including plenty of protein and carbohydrates to fuel her weight lifting.
Amelia who exercises three times a week, said rest days are just as important as the workouts themselves. Pictured: Amelia before weight gain
Amelia said if you don’t rest your body, you won’t have the time to grow the muscle you’ve been working to build. Pictured left: Amelia before, pictured right: Amelia now
Amelia said she eats the same on her rest days as she would on the days she exercises and continues to enjoy long walks. Pictured: Amelia in December 2020
Amelia shares her workout routines, daily diet and weight gain progress on social media using the handle @millyg-fit.
She added: ‘I receive such positive messages on there and to know that I’m having such a good impact on people’s lives is amazing.
‘Often weight gain isn’t something that is spoken about, it’s usually the opposite so to know that I am helping people overcome their eating and mental health issues is just incredible.
‘I would advise people to unfollow anyone on social media who might be triggering them and follow those who are actually serving you in a good way.
‘Just let it go. Because I’ve gone through this journey myself, I’ve realised that anyone can do it.’
Amelia said she has received many positive messages because weight gain isn’t often spoken about. Pictured left: Amelia’s 2 weeks progress, pictured right: Amelia’s 19 weeks progress
Amelia (pictured) said people should unfollow anyone on social media who triggers them and only follow those who serve them in a good way