Builder who was 24st has lost 10st since February with one swap

A 24st builder who turned to comfortableness eating aft facing fertility issues has shed implicit 10st successful conscionable 9 months by swapping takeaways for acceptable meals. Ray Richardson, 34, was an avid shot subordinate since his youth, but aft 2 genu dislocations successful his aboriginal 20s, helium believed his shot days were implicit and soon became inactive.

Adding to this, helium and his wife, Laura, 35, were struggling with infertility, which led him to "turn to food" for solace, and his value ballooned from 17st (108kg) to astir 23st (146kg) successful conscionable 3 years. He maintained this value for astir a decade.

Standing astatine 6ft 2in (188cm), Ray deed his heaviest value of 24st 10lb (157kg) astatine the commencement of 2024. At that time, helium consumed astir 4,500 calories a day, indulged successful 4 takeaways a week, had a BMI of 44.4, classifying him arsenic obese, and wore XXXXL clothing.

Since joining Man v Fat, a football-based value nonaccomplishment programme, successful February, helium has felt motivated, shedding 10st 2lb (64.5kg) with radical support, a idiosyncratic trainer, and a 1,700-2,000 calorie-a-day diet. Now weighing 14st 7lb (92.4kg) with a BMI of 26.2, helium enjoys foods specified arsenic Greek yoghurt and granola for breakfast, a tuna wrapper for lunch, and a high-protein acceptable repast for dinner.

Despite his value nonaccomplishment and imaginable summation successful sperm count, Ray confessed that helium doesn't "really deliberation about" having children anymore and has accepted that it "probably won’t" hap for him and his wife.

Ray, who lives connected the Isle of Wight, said: “It’s costing maine an implicit luck to spell and bargain caller clothes! Now I tin conscionable spell buying successful municipality and bargain mundane brands … before, I had to bid apparel online and they wouldn’t acceptable each the time.

“It’s decidedly a bully feeling, to beryllium capable to bargain smaller things. I’m a batch happier and assured and consciousness amended astir myself. My woman conscionable eats immoderate I devour and we’re some feeling amended present – I measurement retired everything and way it.”

Ray had been playing shot since helium was 5 years old, but astatine 21, helium dislocated his genu and suffered the aforesaid wounded again astatine 23 making him consciousness similar helium “would ne'er play shot again”. Adding to his struggles, helium and his wife, Laura, were trying for children, but astatine 22, Ray was told helium had a debased sperm count.

“We had conscionable got joined and having kids was the adjacent step, but we couldn’t, and it was precise stressful,” helium explained. “We benignant of realised it wasn’t going to hap for america and got connected with things.”

This led him to comfortableness devour and helium went from astir 17st to 23st (146kg), successful the abstraction of 3 years. He said: “It was a precise hard time, I conscionable couldn’t halt eating and turned to food.”

From past on, Ray remained astatine astir 23st (146kg) and shifted his absorption to managing section shot teams alternatively of playing. Ray was consuming astir 4,500 calories per time and eating takeaways, specified arsenic kebabs and pizzas, up to 4 times a week.

By February 2024, weighing 24st 10lb (157kg) with a BMI of 44.4 classing him arsenic obese, and wearing XXXXL clothing, Ray decided to articulation his section Man v Fat group.

“I conscionable didn’t attraction what I was eating, I was eating badly, I was feeling beauteous atrocious astir myself to beryllium just and conscionable knew I had to bash thing and Man v Fat came up truthful thought I’d springiness it a go,” Ray said.

Although helium was initially nervous, Ray soon loved being backmost connected the transportation and recovered it motivating to beryllium portion of a radical of men with akin goals.

He said: “I conscionable loved it, and it was a bully situation too. To beryllium fair, aft going, I was little stressed, and it was similar a blowout successful the week to get it each out.”

Alongside this, helium hired a idiosyncratic trainer who developed a gym plan, including one-hour cardio sessions 3 times a week, and provided him with a fare plan. His caller fare prioritises full foods, with takeaways constricted to conscionable erstwhile a month.

Ray present eats astir 1,700 to 2,000 calories per day, with meals specified arsenic Greek yoghurt, granola and effect for breakfast, a tuna wrapper for lunch, and a calorie-controlled, high-protein microwave repast for dinner.

“I decidedly consciousness similar it’s a sustainable magnitude to beryllium eating, and I don’t adjacent miss having takeaways oregon immoderate different junk present which truly amazed me,” Ray said. “It’s a batch much nutrient than I was eating before, it’s conscionable healthier, and I’m ne'er hungry.”

Since joining Man v Fat, sticking to his diet, and hitting the gym regularly, Ray has been losing astir 6.6lbs (3kg) per week. Nine months later, helium weighs 14st 7lb (92.4kg) and wears size ample clothing.

Altogether, helium has mislaid 10st 2lb (64.5kg) and has a BMI of 26.2, placing him successful the somewhat overweight category. His loved ones are “very proud” of him, and helium is assured helium tin support his value nonaccomplishment by continuing his gym and Man v Fat sessions. Reflecting connected his journey, Ray says his 22-year-old aforesaid would ne'er person believed helium could execute truthful much.

He said: “I would’ve said that it was ne'er going to happen. I was successful that mindset for a agelong time, but present I spell to a Snap Fitness gym with a mate arsenic well, and I’m helping him, truthful that’s motivating maine too. I’m hoping to animate others to suffer value and adjacent twelvemonth I privation to beryllium 1 of the ‘biggest losers’ – successful Man V Fat, if you get that far, you tin play a shot lucifer successful a Premier League shot ground.”

Looking to the future, helium does not deliberation helium and his woman volition person children, contempt losing weight.

He said: “My sperm number has astir apt gone up present I’ve mislaid value but we’ve benignant of fixed up connected it. To beryllium honest, I don’t truly deliberation astir it overmuch immoderate more.”

For much accusation sojourn www.manvfatfootball.org.