29st man lost 16st but still snacks on nightly KitKats

A 29-stone man, with a whopping 60-inch waist, lost 16st, but still had his nightly fix of chocolate, by eating a KitKat.

Matthew Hughes, 39, from Cheshire, has allowed himself to indulge in a two finger chocolate biscuit bar every evening since starting his weight loss journey in January 2017 as a treat to keep himself motivated.

The data analyst, who has struggled with obesity since childhood, ballooned to 29st 5lbs in his mid 30s after replacing meals with fatty and sugary snacks.

But in just 12 months, 6ft Matthew, who now weighs a healthy 13st 13lbs, has gone from wearing 6XL t-shirts and 60-inch waist trousers to fitting into large tops and 34-inch skinny jeans. 

Matthew Hughes, 39, from Cheshire, has allowed himself to indulge in the two finger chocolate biscuit bar every evening since starting his weight loss journey in January 2017

A 29-stone man, with a whopping 60-inch waist, lost 16st, but still had his nightly fix of chocolate, by eating a KitKat

A 29-stone man, with a whopping 60-inch waist, lost 16st, but still had his nightly fix of chocolate, by eating a KitKat

Matthew realised that something had to change, after seeing pictures of himself at a friend’s party.

And Matthew, who lives with his partner Kerrie Murphy, 37, loves nothing more than telling people how he ate chocolate to lose weight.

He said: ‘I can genuinely say that I have eaten chocolate to lose weight. I love telling people that. Every night since I made my New Year’s resolution to start dieting, I have eaten a two finger KitKat. It’s been great.’

‘It’s about understanding that you can have treats as long as they are a treat and not something you’re indulging in three or four times a day. 

Matthew realised that something had to change, after seeing pictures of himself at a friend's party

Matthew realised that something had to change, after seeing pictures of himself at a friend’s party

‘I know if I eat good stuff all day, I can have the KitKat every evening without worrying and that has really kept me going. You’ve got to reward yourself. Just because it’s a diet doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it.’   

Throughout school Matthew was bullied for being overweight but his ‘happy go lucky’ nature saw him embrace being ‘the big lad’ and shrug off the cruel taunts.

A lack of food education in the ’80s, saw Matthew continue to make unhealthy choices well into adulthood.

As well as bingeing on crisps and chocolate bars, every day Matthew would guzzle two pints of full fat milk and five mugs of milky tea, each containing three sugars.

'It wasn't until I started losing weight and started to feel better about myself that I realised how much it had been affecting me - physically and emotionally'

‘It wasn’t until I started losing weight and started to feel better about myself that I realised how much it had been affecting me – physically and emotionally’

Matthew gorged on five takeaways a week and saw the pounds pile on, crushing his self-confidence and seriously damaging his health.

 At his biggest, Matthew suffered with daily back pain and would be left completely out of breath after climbing a few stairs or going on a short walk.

He also found it impossible to find any high street clothes to fit his bulky frame, instead being forced to buy from specialist online shops.

Matthew said: ‘I have aways been the big lad, for as long as I can remember. 

Throughout school Matthew was bullied for being overweight but his 'happy go lucky' nature saw him embrace being 'the big lad' and shrug off the cruel taunts

Throughout school Matthew was bullied for being overweight but his ‘happy go lucky’ nature saw him embrace being ‘the big lad’ and shrug off the cruel taunts

‘It wasn’t until I started losing weight and started to feel better about myself that I realised how much it had been affecting me – physically and emotionally.

‘When I was a kid there wasn’t the awareness and education about healthy eating that there is now.

‘As a kid you don’t care and I started snacking constantly on crisps and chocolate bars. That continued through my adult life.

‘Instead of having three solid meals, I would snack all through the day on sandwiches, crisps and chocolate. 

Matthew also now hits the gym four times a week, doing a combination of cardio and weightlifting to tone up his body

Matthew also now hits the gym four times a week, doing a combination of cardio and weightlifting to tone up his body

‘I was bad with fast food too. I would eat takeaways about five times a week. Usually KFC or McDonalds.’

Despite the crippling affects on his physical and mental wellbeing – and an embarrassing incident with a turnstile at a Manchester United match – Matthew remained in denial until an unflattering photo brought home the reality of his size.

After his wake up call, Matthew started doing Slimming World from home, reading every book he could to re-educate himself about food.

Since swapping all his unhealthy snacking and fast food binges for three home-cooked meals and one KitKat a day, Matthew has watched his excess fat melt away.

Matthew gorged on five takeaways a week and saw the pounds pile on, crushing his self-confidence and seriously damaging his health

Matthew gorged on five takeaways a week and saw the pounds pile on, crushing his self-confidence and seriously damaging his health

Matthew also now hits the gym four times a week, doing a combination of cardio and weightlifting to tone up his body. 

 Matthew said: ‘At my heaviest I started to get really out of breath and tired after just going upstairs or doing a short walk. And my lower back was always sore.

‘I couldn’t buy clothes anywhere on the high street and had to start using specialist shops online.

‘One day I went to watch my football team play and I almost didn’t fit through the turnstile. It was so embarrassing that I haven’t been back since.

‘You’d think that all these things would have made me want to change and would have been that ‘turning point’ moment but I was in denial.

‘Then I went to a friend’s birthday party and when I saw the photos I knew I needed to turn things around. 

Matthew’s diet before 

Breakfast: Four pieces of white toast with lashings of butter

Snack: A packet of crisps and a chocolate bar

Lunch: Two white bread cheese sandwiches, crisps, chocolate bar

Snack: A chocolate bar

Dinner: Four pieces of cheese on toast or a meal from KFC or McDonalds

Drinks: Two pints of full fat milk, five mugs of tea with milk and three sugars

Matthew’s diet now  

Breakfast: Muesli with with yoghurt and berries

Snack: An orange

Lunch: Jacket potato with beans and a side salad

Snack: A yoghurt

Dinner: Grilled sausages with butternut squash, mushrooms and kale

Snack: A two finger KitKat

Drinks: Water

'I couldn't buy clothes anywhere on the high street and had to start using specialist shops online'

‘I couldn’t buy clothes anywhere on the high street and had to start using specialist shops online’

‘I’d seen so many photos of myself in the past and thought ‘wow I’m big’ but then I would just push it to the back of my mind. This time it really hit home.

‘In January 2017, I started doing Slimming World and I haven’t looked back since.

‘I’ve had to completely re-educate myself on food and how to eat healthy. Now everything I have is fresh and home-cooked. Preparation is key.

‘I feel so much better for it. It’s like I’ve been given a new lease of life. I’m so much more confident and I’ve got loads more energy.   

'I've had to completely re-educate myself on food and how to eat healthy. Now everything I have is fresh and home-cooked. Preparation is key'

‘I’ve had to completely re-educate myself on food and how to eat healthy. Now everything I have is fresh and home-cooked. Preparation is key’

‘Sometimes I look in the mirror or at a photo and I can’t believe it’s actually me. I’ve got so much more self-esteem. I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved.’

As well as using his daily KitKat as a motivational treat, Matthew encourages others starting their own weight loss journeys this January to celebrate every achievement. 

Matthew said: ‘My main aim when I set out on my journey was to enjoy it.

‘I didn’t look at it as dieting and restricting myself, I saw it as a lifestyle change. I was going to make my life better.

‘I think it’s so important to have that mentality and celebrate every single milestone whether it’s to do with the numbers you see on the scales or something else.

‘I would give myself a mental high five every time I lost half a stone and every time I entered a new stone bracket.

‘But at the same time, I would celebrate every time I had to tighten my belt a notch and the first time I ever fit into a pair of skinny jeans. 

‘It can be hard to see your own progress so the best way for me was to do lots of before and after photos. It really helps you realise how well you’re doing.’

 

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