Married At First Sight UK star Abigail Chahwan has opened up about her battle with body dysmorphia, describing it as 'crazy' and revealing how she restricted her calories to 700 a day during her bodybuilding days. The 35-year-old veterinary nurse from Bournemouth, who found love with Welshman John Shepherd on the show, is now training to become a personal trainer to help other women gain confidence.
Abigail's Struggle with Body Dysmorphia
Abigail revealed that her body dysmorphia began in childhood, influenced by her Lebanese background's focus on image. She said, 'I come from a Lebanese background and we’re quite image-focused. I grew up thinking you have to look a certain way, be a certain weight. That’s when it started to develop. I was doing extreme dieting and shakes to lose weight, and learning that food was the enemy – that is not the case at all.'
When she took up bodybuilding, she would restrict her calorie intake to just 700 calories a day in the lead-up to competitions, a practice she now recognises as unhealthy. 'When I was bodybuilding, you had to get “stage lean”. That’s for one day, you look your leanest to be on show, but you can’t sustain that – it’s not healthy. I lost my period, because you have no fat on you, you’re exhausted,' she explained.
Transforming Her Relationship with Food and Body
Abigail said she now has a much healthier relationship with food and her body. 'I’ve developed a better relationship with food now. Food is not the enemy. You want to be able to enjoy it,' she said. She added that she has learned to appreciate her body for its energy and health, rather than focusing on an unsustainable 'peak fitness' look.
She reflected on her past self-criticism: 'I remember looking at myself every day thinking, “Oh gosh, I’m not lean enough,” comparing myself to other women. When I see those pictures now, I’m thinking, “How did I not think I was lean enough?” It’s crazy.'
Becoming a Personal Trainer to Help Others
Abigail is now studying to become a personal trainer with YOURAcademy, aiming to help women feel confident in the gym. 'I want to help women feel confident to go to the gym themselves. Knowing what to do, how to use pieces of equipment can make them feel confident going in there,' she said. 'Fitness is so important to me, but also helping other women who just need a nudge to be like, “You can do this, we’ve got you.”'
Positive MAFS UK Experience Amid Controversy
Despite recent allegations of sexual abuse during filming from other contestants, Abigail described her and John's experience as 'really positive'. She said, 'Mine and John’s experience was a really positive one. That said, I completely recognise that everyone’s experience is different, and it’s so important that all voices are heard.'
Abigail and John, who met on the show, now live together in Bournemouth. She said, 'I feel like John and I have known each other for a lifetime. It’s been just over a year. If someone had told me all this would happen, I wouldn’t have believed them. I didn’t really think prior to MAFS UK that I’d ever meet someone. Who manages to find their partner on TV?!'
