Meet the ten finalists in our Body of Slendertone contest
Earlier this year, we invited marie claire readers to take up Slendertone's 'Add Tone Challenge' - a six-week plan to help everyone achieve a better body.
At the same time, we invited readers to enter a special competition to find the new body of Slendertone and were inundated with entries.
However, there can only be one winner! Read on to meet our finalists, or, to take up the 'Add Tone Challenge' yourself, visit Slendertone where you can download a free, easy-to-follow 'Add Tone' plan designed to give every woman body confidence, no matter what her size.
Thousands of women across the UK and Ireland have already taken up the challenge, so now, with the party season on the horizon, it's the perfect time to join them.
Jodi Hallett
Hailing from Bristol, 29-year-old Jodi already plays netball three times a week and loves her legs, but still yearns for a perfect, washboard stomach. 'When you don't get the chance to go to the gym or go for a run because you're looking after young children, you can sometimes feel like you are fighting a losing battle,' she says. 'This challenge is giving me back some control over my body and helping me achieve a figure and body I can be proud of again.'
Andrea Lynch
Dublin-dwelling marketing executive Andrea has a passion for ballet and Irish dancing, but loves eating out with her boyfriend, too. She wants to be the Body of Slendertone to help inspire other women and prove you don't need to be a size zero to look beautiful.
Barbara Giannotta
A recent traumatic break-up and financial troubles mean the past few years have been some of Barbara's worst. However, with a positive new outlook she's determined to get her life back on track and her body back into her skinny jeans! 'For me to take this challenge, it's like starting a new life!' she told us.
Heidi Budino
27-year-old Heidi lives in London and loves cooking and travelling. She says: 'Women like Eva Mendez, J-Lo, Salma Hayak, Beyoncé, they are what I would class as real, sexy women who have amazing curves and yet are fantastically toned. For me, toned is what matters -not stick thin. I know that I need to exercise more to look good, not starve myself of great food, which I love!'
Niamh O'Leary
Another Dubliner, 46-year-old Niamh adores being with her children, but also makes time to travel and workout at her local gym. 'Ever since my separation, five years ago, and my subsequent divorce last year, I've tried to do and achieve things that have helped me in my ordinary day-to-day living and work,' she says. 'I know so far I have succeeded. Doing this challenge will be another feather in my hat and an extreme help along that road.'
Leonie Wingelll
Student Leonie lives in Sheffield and is hoping that adding Slendertone to her regular healthy eating and training routine will help her achieve body perfection. And why should she become the new Body of Slendertone? 'I feel that most women would be able to relate to me, as I am a natural curvy woman,' she says.
Nichola Lennon
As a trainee solicitor, Nichola has a fast-paced career, however, she still plays tennis and rounders with her workmates, finds time for the gym and recently took part in the Race for Life and completed the Three Peaks Challenge. Phew! 'I am a young professional who leads a very active lifestyle, but strongly believe that being healthy and exercising regularly is extremely important,' she tells us. 'I want to be the Body of Slendertone as I believe I would represent a lot of woman who lead both busy work and social lives but enjoy taking care of their bodies and try to stay in good physical shape.'
Sarah Burns
With a wedding on the horizon, 27-year-old doctor Sarah is hoping to be 'toned in all the right places' for her big day. 'I feel that being the body of Slendertone would give me something to aim towards and to feel like I have achieved something. I would hope that it would also be encouraging to others with average body shapes and sizes that if there is something about themselves that they are not happy with, then with some simple changes they could be.'
Davinia Richardson
'I, like every girl, have hang ups about my body and I would love to change certain aspects of my figure but one thing I lack is the effort and energy to actually do something about it!' says TV researcher Davinia. 'I love chocolate and lazing on the sofa watching a girly rom-com! I also love a good portion of cheesy chips on the way home from a night out, so these are things that stop me from achieving the body I want. It's not about losing weight for me, it's about toning up and gaining the curves that I want and losing the curves I don't want.'
To read diaries from our finalists, or to download your own six-week 'Add Tone' plan, which was devised in conjunction with Coleen McLoughlin's personal trainer, Elise Lindsay, log onto Slendertone.