Erin Holland’s ‘intense’ body transformation for SAS

The former Miss World Australia had her work cut out ensuring her “slight” frame could withstand the show’s gruelling conditions.

Watching the brutal first season of SAS Australia last year Erin Holland remembers turning to her now-husband and saying: “If they ever ask me to do this, remind me to say no.”

But 12 months on the former Miss World Australia has completed her stint on her second season of the reality show and has no regrets.

“This course really taught me that your mind is so powerful and so much more capable of things then you expect,” Erin said.

“Our bodies have so much more in them than we give them credit for.”

Erin Holland had previously sworn off doing SAS Australia but is now grateful to have taken part. Picture: Supplied

The Channel 7 series sees celebrities take put through the gruelling selection process for the Australian Army’s Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) by former British special forces soldiers.

Celebrities taking part were given three months to prepare for their SAS stint, however, for Erin the preparation time coincided with another big event.

Nine weeks out from appearing on the show Erin was due to marry her longtime partner, cricketer Ben Cutting.

“I do like to keep fit, but the kind of fit you have to be for this show is just on a whole other level,” she said.

Erin had only nine weeks to prepare for the show. Picture: Instagram/Erin Holland.

“I waited until after the wedding because I didn’t want to injure myself or bulk up too much and not fit my wedding dress.”

Instead of just enjoying her newlywed bliss after the February wedding it was when Erin kicked her exercise regime into overdrive.

Trainer Ben Lucas from Sydney fitness studio Flow Athletic putting her through some “really intense”workouts to prepare for SAS Australia.

“It was all a lot of strength stuff, a lot of carrying awkward weights, pushing and pulling movements, because you have no idea what you’re going to be doing in there but you know it’s going to be really physical on your body,” Erin said.

She bulked up doing “awkward” weights exercises and snacking “all day round”. Picture: Instagram/Erin Holland.

“I was getting a 20 kilo weights vest and trekking around all the hills of Coogee and trails of Maroubra.”

For Erin the hardest part of her training involved one of the simplest forms of exercise: running.

“I struggle with running, I’m not a runner, it’s not something I enjoy doing,” she said. “That level of cardio fitness was difficult.”

But the intense nine weeks of training paid off and Erin entered SAS Australia having undergone a staggering physical transformation.

“I put on about three-ish kilos before I went on,” she said. “That was a mix of muscle and weight, just tried to bulk up as much as I could.

“I definitely noticed a huge improvement in my stamina and the weight that I was able to lift which was great.”

The gruelling routine saw Erin put on three kilos in nine weeks. Picture: Instagram/Erin Holland.

To help her workouts Erin had to snack “all day round” to keep her fuelled and support muscle gain.

“With my diet it was basically a matter of get as much in as possible because I needed to try and bulk up my frame as much as I could. I’m a slight frame and that doesn’t bode too well when you’ve got a 20 kilo burden on your back,” she said.

It’s a food habit Erin has maintained since SAS Australia and part of the reason why she’s signed on as ambassador for Krave bars, which hit supermarket shelves nationally from Monday.

SAS Australia star Erin Holland is also an ambassador for new snack bars Krave. Picture: Instagram/Erin Holland.

The mixed-grain bars come in three flavours – Go Nuts for Donuts, Nudge to Fudge, and Caramel Pop’n Choc – and also have less than 110 calories per serve.

“I’m really guilty of having those cravings around 3 o’clock in the afternoon when your sugar crash happens and you really feel like you want a pick me up,” Erin said.

“It’s a perfect partnership really, it’s such a good way to satisfy that sweet tooth craving.

But while her training helped prepare her for the show there was one condition Erin struggled with the most that had nothing to do with her physical fitness.

“The cold was horrific, I just really struggled with that,” she said. “I really felt the cold so I think that was the biggest challenge for me.”