FOR six weeks, two teams have hit the gym, pounded the pavement and enjoyed healthy meals.

Now their hard work has paid off as they stepped on the scales for a final time to reveal a collective weight loss of more than seven-and-a-half stone.

Under the expert eye of personal trainers Claire Kopicki and David Mather, the teams took on the Biggest Loser challenge at Xercise4Less, in Manchester Road, Bolton, in a bid to lose weight, tone up, build muscle and improve fitness.

Each week they took part in three sessions, including yoga, boxing, cardio workouts and even strongman training, which saw them flipping tyres and rope-pulling, with each team losing a combined total of 3st 11lbs.

Martin Rowley, aged 23, from Bolton, shed the most weight, losing 2st 1lb and 10 per cent body fat.

Miss Kopicki, a personal trainer for 10 years, said: “We expected good results but the results were great. They all worked really hard.

“The collective weight loss was 7st 8lbs over the six weeks.

“We looked at nutrition and lifestyle and how everything you eat affects the way your body functions and your hormone levels.”

Her team was made up of Martin, Steph Mullineux, aged 19, who lost 13lbs, and Ashleigh Courtney, aged 21, who lost 11lbs.

Mr Mather’s team consisted of Michelle Dyson, aged 33, who lost 1st 3lbs, Paula Dyson, aged 31, who lost 13lbs, Amy Miller, aged 26, who lost 1st 9lbs and Victoria Ngandu, who lost three per cent body fat.

Miss Kopicki said: “We kept track of everything they were eating and they had one day off a week where they could pretty much eat what they wanted.

“We measured them. They all lost inches.

“The idea behind it is that it takes six weeks to create new habits so that they are more in control of what they eat.

“It’s not like a fad diet where they lose weight and put it back on again.

“I love training people, seeing the results at the end and seeing how happy people are.”

The Biggest Loser Challenge will run again from March 19, costing £180 for six weeks, including personal training sessions three times a week, meal and diet plan.

Anyone interested in taking part does not need to be a member of Xercise4Less and can email ckopicki@me.com