A pole dancing grandma who took up the hobby in her 50s says she is now in the best shape of her life.
Kerry Burnett, 53, from Essex, explained how she was told she was too fat to be a professional dancer when she was younger, and later developed an eating disorder.
But she gained the confidence to take up pole dancing later in life, and it was the first time ‘I ever felt good inside and out’.
Ms Burnett said: ‘I feel like fate really put this in my path, not only to recover my body, but to get rid of the negativity that comes with it.
‘At the age of 47 I made a bucket list of things I wanted to try and I’ve always wanted to do pole dancing, but I was worried I was too old.
Kerry Burnett, 53, from Essex, explained how she was told she was too fat to be a professional dancer when she was younger, and later developed an eating disorder
‘I was only going to do one class but the class was so refreshing and non judgemental and there were all different body sizes, so I stayed, and I’m 53 now at the strongest I’ve ever been.
‘I’ve started to actually perform pole shows since then too which if you told me I’d be doing than when I first started, I’d say no way, but this is my career now and I get to travel the world doing it.’
Ms Burnett attempted a career on the stage when she was younger, but her dreams were shot down when she was told she was too big to be a professional dancer.
‘I was told to just eat cabbage and drink water,’ she said.
‘I tried to do it, but I was starving so then I just started eating and eating. I was having to spend my day in a leotard, and I was so conscious of my weight, everyone was always talking about me and it really started to affect me.
She gained the confidence to take up pole dancing later in life, and it was the first time ‘I ever felt good inside and out’
Ms Burnett said: ‘I feel like fate really put this in my path, not only to recover my body, but to get rid of the negativity that comes with it’
‘I didn’t know how to keep the weight off other than throwing up, it was just a very lonely experience.
‘Then one day about 20 years later, I walked past a gym and I saw all these amazing women with huge muscles and I really admired how they looked. They were so confident and I wanted that for myself, so I started to go and really began feeling good about myself for the first time in my life.’
Ms Burnett now teaches pole dancing classes for beginners.
She said: ‘It’s the best feeling in the world getting to help people feel empowered and be the best they can be.
‘I even managed to place first in my first big pole competition, I’d only being doing it for a few months, so I was completely blown away.
‘Pole is the hardest and most addictive thing I’ve ever done. I do have rest days, but I alternate all week between pole and gym and just train the demons away.’
Ms Burnett attempted a career on the stage when she was younger, but her dreams were shot down when she was told she was too big to be a professional dancer
