A former student has told how she dropped out of university while training to be barrister - to follow her dream of becoming a professional bikini bodybuilder.
Mel Wilkinson, 28, now devotes five days a week working out for three hours at a time in the gym after quitting her law degree in a bid to make it pro.
She gave up her course following her first year at Birmingham City University and has since spent thousands on entering amateur competitions across Britain.
Mel will now have the chance to turn professional when she competes at the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) in Portugal this weekend.
The super-fit personal trainer first got into bodybuilding aged 18 but only began getting into pristine shape for competitions during lockdown.
Mel, who is 5ft 1ins and 52kg (8st), is currently consuming under a thousand calories a day and lifting 200kg weights in preparation for shows.
She estimates she has spent around £5,000 pursuing her passion - including £900 on bikinis and thousands on hotels, beauty and hair treatments.
Mel, of St Peter's, Worcester, said: "I wanted to be a barrister and I was training for my law degree but I always thought I was going to do my fitness on the side.
"But I really started to get into the fitness industry at around 17/18 and before I knew it I was living the lifestyle of a bikini bodybuilder.
Mel, who also works as a personal trainer and female online coach, says she aims to inspire women to feel strong and confident in their bodies.
She added: "I wanted to take that passion into helping other women become best versions of themselves too.
"I think female bodybuilding is going to get more popular because more and more girls are working out.
"But people may think it is more glamourous than it is but the glamour is only on the show day.
"It is a male-dominated industry, but I love how many girls are going into it and not caring anymore."
But she said her decision to compete as a bodybuilder didn't go down too well at first and raised concerns among her family.
Mel, who lives with partner Lloyd Tonkin, 27, added: "My family was concerned because it can look like you're just losing weight, but if you're coming from a healthy mindset it's not that.
"Sometimes we have ex eating disorder people who come into it because they realise they have to eat in order to look their best.
"I still consider my diet to be pretty normal but I always like to eat a meal four times a day.
"For competitions I tend to bulk up about 10 to 12 kilos and then you diet in the run up to the show so I'm currently consuming under a thousands calories a day.
"When I'm focusing on building muscle I'm eating around 2,000 calories."
Mel, a former shop worker, believes the profession still had certain stigmas despite the discipline, training, and dedication bodybuilding requires.
Mel Wilkinson, 28, now devotes five days a week working out for three hours at a time in the gym after quitting her law degree in a bid to make it pro.
She gave up her course following her first year at Birmingham City University and has since spent thousands on entering amateur competitions across Britain.
Mel will now have the chance to turn professional when she competes at the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) in Portugal this weekend.
The super-fit personal trainer first got into bodybuilding aged 18 but only began getting into pristine shape for competitions during lockdown.
Mel, who is 5ft 1ins and 52kg (8st), is currently consuming under a thousand calories a day and lifting 200kg weights in preparation for shows.
She estimates she has spent around £5,000 pursuing her passion - including £900 on bikinis and thousands on hotels, beauty and hair treatments.
Mel, of St Peter's, Worcester, said: "I wanted to be a barrister and I was training for my law degree but I always thought I was going to do my fitness on the side.
"But I really started to get into the fitness industry at around 17/18 and before I knew it I was living the lifestyle of a bikini bodybuilder.
Mel, who also works as a personal trainer and female online coach, says she aims to inspire women to feel strong and confident in their bodies.
She added: "I wanted to take that passion into helping other women become best versions of themselves too.
"I think female bodybuilding is going to get more popular because more and more girls are working out.
"But people may think it is more glamourous than it is but the glamour is only on the show day.
"It is a male-dominated industry, but I love how many girls are going into it and not caring anymore."
But she said her decision to compete as a bodybuilder didn't go down too well at first and raised concerns among her family.
Mel, who lives with partner Lloyd Tonkin, 27, added: "My family was concerned because it can look like you're just losing weight, but if you're coming from a healthy mindset it's not that.
"Sometimes we have ex eating disorder people who come into it because they realise they have to eat in order to look their best.
"I still consider my diet to be pretty normal but I always like to eat a meal four times a day.
"For competitions I tend to bulk up about 10 to 12 kilos and then you diet in the run up to the show so I'm currently consuming under a thousands calories a day.
"When I'm focusing on building muscle I'm eating around 2,000 calories."
Mel, a former shop worker, believes the profession still had certain stigmas despite the discipline, training, and dedication bodybuilding requires.
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