Northampton builder shrinks his plate to shrink his waist

Paul Weston, 49, made the decision to rethink his health when he tipped the scales at over 20 stone and watched his friend succumb to diabetes.

He said: “My mate had developed type-2 diabetes. He was told to look after his health and lose some weight or become permanently diabetic and go on insulin, and that’s exactly what happened.

"I am 49 and a builder by trade, and I consider myself quite fit. But I knew I was very heavy.

"I have two daughters and I want to be around for weddings and grandchildren. I want to share their future.”

The combination was the push Paul needed to start looking at his own health.

He said: “Because of my trade, I knew it was only a matter of time before my knees and hips started playing up. And watching what happened to my mate, I knew that I was also at risk of diabetes. I didn’t want to wait five or 10 years to do something about it and find that the damage was already done.”

Paul visited his local surgery for a health check and was offered a Northampton weight watchers healthcare subscription for three months.

He said: “It was what I needed and came just at the right time for me. It was my moment. I think that emotionally and mentally you must be ready to change. I felt that I was now ready.

"Even though I work in the open most days, I do not rely on fast foods to get me by, I eat quite healthily. Joining the local weight watchers group helped me to see that the problem was in my portion sizes. I was eating a healthy breakfast every morning but eating three or four times the recommended amount. So, I reduced the portion size of everything I ate and watched as the weight came off.

"I shrank my plate and my waist began to shrink too. It was that simple."