A DORSET mother has a world fitness championship in her sights after a leading personal trainer spotted her picture on a social networking site.

Jamie Barnard saw 41-year-old Donna Ostler’s picture on Facebook and suggested she went in for fitness modelling competitions.

Divorcee Donna, of Hamworthy in Poole, had always been interested in health and began weight training at the age of 23 before starting a family.

“My confidence was right down when Jamie saw my photo in a bikini on Facebook. He said I had real potential and I believed in him. I needed something to focus on,” she explained.

The former nanny started serious weight training in January and was among 140 athletes taking part in last month’s Miami Pro competition in Hertfordshire. “I didn’t get placed, but it felt very, very good,” she said.

“The judges’ feedback was very positive – they said I was extremely confident on stage. A year ago I was too low to drag myself out of bed.

“It gave me such a boost to walk out in front of 700 people in a bikini and high heels. Everyone thinks I look about 30.”

To prepare for the competition, Donna trained for two hours a day, five days a week at the gym. She ate six to seven high protein meals a day, balanced with green vegetables, natural fats and sweet potatoes, and drank only water.

During the last two weeks before the competition, she stepped up her gym sessions to three hours a day and removed carbohydrates from her diet. In just eight weeks, she lost half a stone and her body fat dropped from 23 per cent to 14 per cent.

Donna said her daughters Tabitha, nine, and Claudia, 12, had been excited about her competing. “They’re my rock. They’re full of support and they take after me with an interest in exercise.

“I’ve always worked out but never to this level. My next competition is the Miami Pro 2013 World Championships next March. I just want to maintain the training and dieting until next year and see if I can get placed.”