Feeling "gangster" at age 73, the suit fits and no more insulin: Crawley man's slimming journey

I got married age 21, I was just 10.5 stone . I remained around that weight until I acquired my first car at the age of 25 and with no more walking I gradually put on weight.

My father achieved a weight of 18 stone by the time he was 60. My mum would make him sandwiches for work, he would finish them, then wander to the works canteen and have a full fry up with two slices of bread and butter. At the age of 65 he had a heart attack which resulted in a triple by pass. The doctors then informed him if he cut down his diet he would now live to a glorious old age, but he did not take their advice and developed vascular dementia and died of another heart attack before he reached 80.

At this time, I made up my mind that I did not want to end up like that!

But alas, with no real conviction I continued to put on weight till I reached a weight which caused me to become diabetic type two a develop high blood pressure. What was unbelievable was instead of encouraging a healthy diet, exercise and weight loss just the Doctor put me on tablets, gave me a measuring blood glucose kit and sent me on my way with blood pressure tablets too.

I then became a diabetic in denial, still eating sweets and because of the type of job I had entertained clients with an unlimited company credit card.

By the time I reached 68 I decided to retire but I was now 16.5 stone. None of my clothes fit me anymore, the buttons on my shirts looked like they would pop open at any moment, and my stomach which seemed to start at my chest filled every inch of material. My trousers started to fall apart at my waist and my face continued the same size, as I slowly lost my neck.

I could not get into any of my suits and I certainly could not do the buttons up.

When my mother-in-law died 15 years ago she left us a large sum of money and

my wife asked me what I would like to buy with it. I decided on a bespoke tailored suit, designed on one of the Italian gangster suits from the Boardwalk Empire Series.

God did I love that suit, as I wore it to special occasions at one time when I got out of a lift in London, people commentated that I looked like a man who had truly made it!

Alas my weight increase made it impossible to wear.

The remedy was just by larger clothes until even they got filled up. In the end I just did not want to go out, I became sluggish and tired, lethargic and genuinely miserable.

The crunch came when I went to Alicante last June 2024. I had to buy XXL pullovers and t-shirts and size 42-inch waist trousers, which although more comfortable made me look huge.

The weight was making me feel insecure. While my wife lay in the sun, I sat in the shadows, I kept my t-shirts on all the time and definitely would not go swimming.

A Life changing event.

My daughter moved to Horley and encouraged us to move from Beckenham to be near her. After six months of searching we settled on a bungalow in Copthorne Village. Now every time we travelled to see her, or go shopping we would pass Slimming World, based at the Pavilion, Copthorne Bank. There was a huge sign just outside that caught my eye.

I was now sixteen stone. I decided at first to try and loose weight by going on my own diet, basically a starvation diet and lost 7 pounds but I felt pretty miserable.

I had to pay a visit to Slimming World.

When I walked through the door I was greeted by a warm hearted women called Debbie, who’s friendliness, happy and non judgemental manner immediately appealed to me.

She took me through their Food Optimising plan as to how to loose weight and I decided then and there I would join and stay for the session.

The members in attendance all women and one man were all very friendly and encouraging. Their formula, backed by science includes eating hunger busting filling foods for the least calories until you are full. The great thing was it was all normal everyday foods, without feeling hungry, and still loose weight.

The membership pack they gave you, alongside ideas, tips and recipes in group plus the fact that they also had Healthy ready meals at Iceland, all helped.

But, the most important aspect of it all, were the people who attended, have become my friends, my wonderful associates in my weight loss adventure and journey. Their friendliness and encouragement led by Debbie, is an integral part of the Slimming World plan that makes it work.

I hate to miss one session; it is my kick start to every week.

I love attending the sessions, the encouragement to each other to never give up even if we have put on weight.

Well in my first week I lost I lost 2lb, week 2 was 5lb, 2.5lb and so on. I received encouraging certificates, slimmer of the week prizes which just motivated me more and more to achieve the next goal.

Ive now lost three stone and Debbie made me a special tea shirt. I shared all this information on Face Book and received so many words of congratulations both from friends and relatives outside of my Slimming World group, many a person did not recognise me at first, even at our local Vicki had to to look twice at me.

Positive Health Results.

Having reached 12.5 stone in weight yes you may have guessed it, I can wear my gangster suit. The comments I got from all this in attendance, old friends and neighbours made me feel like a million dollars.

Then I had my annual diabetic review and as a result the diabetic nurse phoned me from Pound Hill Surgery. She could not believe how much weight I had lost and more importantly my sugar levels had gone down she told me that I was

more like a person who was not diabetic and although I need to keep an eye on it, I no longer need tablets or insulin to keep my diabetes under control. Incredible news.

I told the nurse and my Doctors to encourage patients to Slimming World. Its not like a diet, its filling, Its real Food, you are in charge of your choices, you have support and its a great community.

I feel good, healthy and look forward to attending my sisters wedding anniversary celebrations and yes you have guessed it, wear my suit again.

All my old clothes fit me again. My waist size has gone down from 40 to 36.

I am going to donate all my large clothes to the Slimming World Clothes Throw for Cancer Research at their next collection.

Thank you Slimming World.