A McDonald’s worker has been crowned one of Britain’s strongest women after bulking up by munching through hamburgers and McFlurrys at work.
Mum-of-three Maria Krzesinska, 40, of Dudley, West Midlands, loves nothing more than lifting cars and pulling lorries in her spare time when she’s not flipping burgers and serving customers.
She will be competing in the USA to become ‘World’s Strongest Woman’ after recently being crowned the strongest woman in Britain aged 40 or over.
Maria credits her success to being able to maintain her protein-rich diet by eating Chicken Selects, Big Tasty burgers, McFlurrys and drinking McDonald’s milkshakes.
Maria Krzesinska, 40, of Dudley, West Midlands , pictured in her McDonald’s uniform, credits protein-rich food she eats at work for helping her to bulk up to be crowned one of Britain’s strongest women
The heaviest thing she has ever lifted was a 1.3 tonne (1,323 kg) Renault Clio which saw her clinch another title
Maria, who only started training in 2018 and took part in her first competition in 2019, is now trying to raise funds to get to Daytona, Florida, because she does not get sponsorship
The Maccy’s crew member trains four days a week for between one to three hours to keep in shape for competitions, which sees her travelling across the country.
During contents, 5ft 8ins Maria will tip over massive hay bales, lift 45kg logs and 130kg weights and carry heavy sand bags over large distances.
But the heaviest thing she has ever lifted was a 1.3 tonne (1,323 kg) Renault Clio which saw her clinch another title.
Maria, who only started training in 2018 and took part in her first competition in 2019, is now trying to raise funds to get to Daytona, Florida, because she does not get sponsorship.
The Maccy’s crew member trains four days a week for between one to three hours to keep in shape for competitions, which sees her travelling across the country
She qualified after winning both Britain and England’s Strongest Woman in the Master’s category, which is for competitors aged 40 and over.
Maria took up the hobby after she started power-lifting in a bid to build up her muscle from a knee injury a few years ago.
She says her strength can prove handy at work when she helps male colleagues with heavy deliveries and at home to lift out her washing machine when it needs fixing.
Maria, said: ‘I fell in love with strong man and strong women competitions. It’s just a community like no other and so much fun.’
She says her strength can prove handy at work when she helps male colleagues with heavy deliveries and at home to lift out her washing machine when it needs fixing.
Maria, pictured on the podium after winning a contest, doesn’t have to keep to a strict diet which she finds handy because she absolutely loves cake and ice-cream.
Maria’s Trophy for winning the Britain’s Natural Strongwoman Federation Masters. She has also qualified for the Official Strongman Games World’s Strongest Woman competition, which is to be held in Daytona, Florida in November of this year
‘I started boxing at first but I injured my knee and doctors said I needed to rebuild the muscle which got me into power-lifting.’
‘But I found it a bit rigid and repetitive so I went along to a strong man event and had a go tipping over hay bales.’
‘People were amazed when I managed to tip a couple over and urged me to take it up properly and I’ve never looked back.’
‘I don’t have to keep to a strict diet which is handy because I absolutely love cake and ice-cream.’
Maria Krzesinska, 40, from Dudley, works at Worcester road McDonald’s in Kidderminster by day but has qualified for the Official Strongman Games World’s Strongest Woman competition
Maria is pound for pound the strongest woman in the world for her size and can lift four times her body weight
‘I try and eat as much protein as I can and at work there’s obviously plenty of food so I often have a Big Tasty with bacon, chicken breast strips, McFlurry and a milkshake.’
‘I just train in my back garden at home and down the gym and I have a brilliant trainer in Rhiannon Lovelace who won the 2018 World’s Strongest Woman.’
‘She is pound for pound the strongest woman in the world for her size and can lift four times her body weight.’
‘It takes a lot of hard work and dedication but I enjoy it so much and love the variety, there’s no end of things to lift and carry.’
The McDonald’s where she works. Maria tries to eat as much protein as she can and at work she often has a Big Tasty with bacon, chicken breast strips, McFlurry and a milk shake
Maria during competition. Her biggest achievement is being this year’s British Natural Strongman Federation’s strongest woman in the Masters category
‘It even helps at work when unloading deliveries, some of the men just sit back and let me do the hard work.’
‘And at home if something heavy needs lifting such as the washing machine to fix it, I can quite easily lift it out and plumb it back in.’
‘My biggest achievement is being this year’s British Natural Strongman Federation’s strongest woman in the Master’s category for both Britain and England.’
‘I did things like lift 140k weights, log presses, carry bags of sands for the furthest distance, arm over arm pulls, dead lifts and all sorts.’
Maria during competition. She has lifted 140k weights, log presses, carried bags of sands for the furthest distance, arm over arm pulls and dead lifts in competition
Although herhard work, blood, sweat and tears has earned her a place to compete amongst the best in the world, it is a self funded sport and she has no sponsorship
‘I’ve pulled a nine tonne lorry and a Land Rover. Weirdly the Land Rover was harder work because of the grip the tyres had on the road.’
‘The heaviest thing I’ve lifted was a Renault Clio and I was the only woman in the competition to be able to do so and I was quite proud of that.’
‘Now I’ll be competing in the World’s Strongest Woman in November but I need a bit of help to get there.’
‘Although my hard work, blood, sweat and tears has earned me a place to compete amongst the best in the world, it is a self funded sport and I have no sponsorship.’
Maria weightlifting. A fundraiser was held on Saturday (4/9) where Maria carried a 100kg weight for 1,000m starting from the McDonald’s where she works in Kidderminster, Worcs.
‘This means I need to find the money to keep my training going for the next 11 months and actually get to and stay there for the week of the competition.’
‘Flights and hotel alone will set me back around £1,100 so all and any help is gratefully appreciated.’
A fundraiser was held on Saturday where Maria carried a 100kg weight for 1,000m starting from the McDonald’s where she works in Kidderminster, Worcester.
Anyone wishing to donate to help get Maria to America can do so here.