How this dad lost 245 pounds

By Izzy Hawksworth via SWNS

A dad told by doctors he would die within five years if he didn't lose weight had shed a whopping 17.5 stone - by talking daily walks and cutting out Coca-Cola.

Determined Bryn Penrose, 48, was told by doctors that he risked a fatal heart attack or stroke when he tipped the scales at 30st 5lb

But the father-of-three has shed more than half his body weight by increasing his daily steps gradually from around 50 to 21,000 per day.

And while he would guzzle six regular cans of Coke a day, he now only drinks water and protein shakes.

Within two years, he now weighs a trim 13st and has gone from wearing a 9XL in tops to a comfortable XL.

Despite being half the size he was, Bryn now feels like twice the dad to his three kids, Harry, 17, and twins Charlotte and William, both 13.

He said: "I feel like it's made me a better dad to my children - it's made me a lot closer to them and now I can do stuff with them.

"I can take them to the cinema but I wouldn't dare go to a cinema before because the seats were too small and I couldn't even fit into them.

"I've even started playing tennis now which I've never been able to do before and now I can play football with my kids as well."

Bryn was given a jolt during a routine health check in 2021 when he was told he was heading for an early grave if he didn't drastically change his lifestyle.

He started walking in a circuit around his garden at his home in Leeds, West Yorks.

And he gradually built his steps up, first by walking to the end of the street and back a couple of times a day and then going to a local park.

Now, Bryn walks at least 21,000 steps a day and clocks up around 60 miles a week.

He hasn't got a bus for 18 months as he walks everywhere he needs to go.

He added: "I couldn't do anything before. I was even using an inhaler from anything between three to five times a day when I was at my biggest.

"I'm really enjoying being able to do stuff with them.

"The only problem is that I've been going through clothes quite a lot now and I'm always having to buy new outfits.

"But I've been donating all of my old clothes to charity - in case there's a bigger person who needs them as it's really hard to buy and afford bigger clothes."

Before losing weight, Bryn would only do about 50 to 100 steps a day as his weight and depression prevented him from leaving the house.

But his daily walks have helped his mental too and he feels like walking 'gets rid of all of the everyday stresses.'

Bryn, who is engaged to partner Paulette, 38, said: "I was stuck at home for four years. I didn't go out because I was big but then I was big because I didn't go out.

"If I went somewhere and someone started laughing, I always assumed they were laughing at me because of my size.

"They probably wasn't but because I was in a dark place, I always thought people were laughing and staring at me.

"I was depressed and I would even say that I hated myself.

"I knew that I needed to do something but until the doctor gave me that verdict, it didn't really sink in my head.

"But walking has been really good for my mental health as it gets rid of all of the every day stresses.

"It gives you time to relax and de-stress from life, it's like a reset.

"I now walk into Leeds city center and back - I used to get taxis and buses everywhere but now I haven't been on a bus for a year and a half."

As well as getting his steps in to lose weight, Bryn changed his diet and has cut out bread, pasta, alcohol and fizzy drinks.

He also used to drink six 'full fat' cokes a day and says he's actually "a bit ashamed" of that now.

Bryn said: "I researched what I was eating after I went to the doctors and I found out a can of coke has 12 spoon-fulls of sugar in it, which I didn't know before.

"I was having six of them a day which I'm a bit ashamed of now.

"I do have a treat day once a month though, where I let myself eat whatever I want."

Bryn said he tried to lose weight previously and tried different diets, but he always struggled to shift the timber.

But he said breaking the weight down into chucks made it easier to lose weight as he was less overwhelmed.

He went on: "Instead of thinking that I've got to lose loads of weight at a time, I started off by losing two stone and then five stone and then seven stone.

"I broke it down into chunks which made it easier than being overwhelmed by having to lose 17 stone."

Some experts say you need to do at least 10,000 steps a day to reap health benefits such as weight loss, better mobility and having a better mood.

But Bryn, said that at first he was only doing 2,000 steps a day and if someone is doing less than 10,000 steps, then it's 'better than sitting on the couch.'

He said: "I have a smart watch and that always gives me a medal for reaching 10,000 steps but I always like to do way more than that.

"But starting out, I was happy with doing only 2,000 steps so doing something is better than sitting on the couch and doing nothing I suppose."

DIET BEFORE:

• Breakfast: A full English breakfast
• Lunch: Crisps and sandwiches
• Tea: A takeaway - either a pizza or an Indian
• Snacks: Six cans of full-fat coke, chocolate bars, crisp and biscuits

DIET NOW:

• Breakfast: A protein shake
• Lunch: A protein shake and some fruit
• Tea: A small bowl of chicken and vegetables
• Snacks: Doesn't snack now