Married At First Sight star Awhina Rutene has revealed her stormy time spent in the Channel Nine experiment led to shock weight gain.
The 31-year-old said she put on 8kg kilos from stress as she suffered a dizzying series of ups and downs during her tumultuous relationship with Adrian Araouzou.
Awhina revealed the painful details of her ordeal in an interview with Yahoo Lifestyle.
‘I gained 8kg in the experiment, so none of my clothes fit,’ she said.
‘I actually gained 6kg in the first six weeks, it was like a kilo a week in the first six weeks.’
The bride said that when it was time to do publicity after a month and a half of filming, she could no longer fit into wedding dress.
She also suffered from ‘water retention’, a high level of fluid in her body, which led to bloating.
‘I’d been on ‘fight or flight’ [mode] almost every day. It was a chaotic arguing situation,’ she said.
‘My face had blown up drastically, I can’t even tell you. When I got home, my son said to me, ‘You look different, mummy.’ That’s how much inflammation there was.
‘It took such a physical toll on me and an emotional toll; it wasn’t worth being there.’
It comes after MAFS fans weighed in on Awhina and Adrian’s commitment to stay together on Sunday night.
The controversial couple stunned viewers during the Final Vows after first saying they were ready to part ways, only to change their minds.
Viewers lost their minds over the pair’s decision to continue their relationship outside of the experiment.
Many viewers turned on Awhina, 31, after watching her 36-year-old groom’s questionable behaviour toward her throughout the season.
‘Zero sympathy for Awhina… Adrian has shown her in 55 different ways that he’s a d***head,’ wrote one viewer on X.
‘Awhina is self-sabotaging to hold onto the idea that they will work out. Adrian can see the desperation and is stringing her along,’ another added.
‘Yes, I’ve lost ALL respect for this girl,’ whined one more on X.
‘She seems to have zero awareness and even less self respect!!!!! I really thought better of her at the start. She will embrace any bad treatment.’
During Sunday night’s episode, Adrian and Awhina both admitted to having an undeniable attraction to each other and undeniable hurdles that they couldn’t overcome.
‘Looking back, I can admit I could’ve been a better partner to you,’ Adrian confessed to his on-screen wife.
‘We both felt like we haven’t had each other’s back and that we haven’t shown up for each other.’
The pair then both decided to walk away from the relationship and leave the experiment separately.
However, as viewers at home waited for the couple to go their separate ways, they continued to stare at each other lovingly, hinting that it may not be over just yet.
The couple decided to ‘see where this goes’, admitting that they looked at the decision ‘too black and white’ and wanted to give their relationship a crack outside of the experiment.
They then left the final ceremony hand-in-hand.