Plus-size triumph for determined beauty

AFTER returning from a holiday, Port Elizabeth businesswoman, Natassja Ungerer, felt and looked "horrible” and she decided to lose weight.

Little did she know that her new look would land her an opportunity to be a model for one of the biggest retail stores in the country.

Ungerer, 27, of Lorraine was recently announced as the winner of Edgars’ Penny C competition, the in-house initiative for plus-size women.

She is one of three women selected in the country to be a face of Penny C.

They have each walked away with R45000 in prizes. These include a modelling contract, a modelling course and clothing vouchers.

"The competition was advertised in the Huisgenoot in August last year and I entered because my mom thought I was photogenic.

"I’m very excited about winning. This is a big achievement for me.”

Ungerer, the owner of a legal consultancy firm, was announced the winner in December and was flown to Johannesburg for a photo shoot.

"I can’t wait to start with the campaign.

"We [the winners] were told we would appear in all Edgars catalogues.”

Ungerer, who joined a weight loss programme in 2011, said she felt good about herself after shedding a couple of kilograms.

"I weighed 104kg and now I weigh 88kg and I feel so good.”

"I wasn’t happy with how I looked before, especially after looking at the pictures I took while I was on holiday. I looked horrible, so I decided to do something about my weight.”

Winning the competition was a cherry on top, she said.

"I only lost weight so I could feel good and boost my confidence.

"I did not do know that I would enter and win a competition.

"I didn’t even take the competition seriously until I was told I was one of the six finalists.”

"I’m more excited now because winning the competition shows one can achieve anything one wants, no matter how big the challenges are. Now, plus-sized people can also be models, something which was thought to be for only skinny people.”

Ungerer is flying to Cape Town today for an official photo shoot.