As a triathlete who excels at swimming, cycling and running, Louise Minchin is one of the fittest women on TV, so it comes as a surprise that the 54-year-old once gave up on sport.
In an interview with Good Housekeeping, Louise revealed: "To my shame now, I had given up competitive swimming aged 15 when I looked in the mirror and decided I didn't like the way my muscly back and shoulders had changed my appearance."
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As an adult, spurred on by the thrill of cycling in the Manchester Velodrome for a TV challenge, Louise rediscovered her love for sport and took to the pool once more in order to take part in two of the world's toughest triathlons - no mean feat for someone who said they "dabbled" in exercise, but didn't take seriously.
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"Sport has changed the trajectory of my life and it started changing me," Louise told Good Housekeeping. "Not only was I getting physically fitter and stronger, I learned to love those muscles, be proud of them and be proud of my body."
Louise's return to sport hasn't been all plain sailing, though. At the end of November, Louise shared that since a knee operation in July, she'd struggled to run.
© Photo: InstagramLouise Minchin is a keen runner
"Finally, four months after having a knee operation and having to start running from scratch again, I feel a bit like I am a runner," she wrote on Instagram.
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"It is easy to forget how hard it is and to be discouraged, but very slowly I am making progress."
© Photo: InstagramLouise Minchin is recovering from an operation she had in the summer
Fellow TV star Susanna Reid related to Louise's message, commenting: "We really take our health/mobility for granted til it is restricted. Keep going - love how determined you are."
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