A father has remarkably halved his body weight by making lifestyle changes, spurred on by a ‘horrific’ photo that motivated him to act.
Dale Forrest recounted how he once consumed up to three takeaways daily, indulging in snacks like pasties during his lunch breaks from his office job, and would often end his day at the pub.
This pattern turned into a daily habit over ten years, causing his weight to skyrocket to 32 stone (448 pounds).
Even after meeting his wife, Kat, in 2021, and the births of their children, Bailey, three, and Tate, one, Dale’s weight continued to increase.
However, a pivotal moment for the 36-year-old came shortly after his marriage to Kat in September last year.
Reflecting on his heaviest weight, Dale expressed feeling ’embarrassed’ by the ‘horrific’ images from his wedding.
“As soon as I saw them I just had to make a change,” Dale said, recalling how he promptly disposed of all the unhealthy snacks at home and commenced his weight loss journey.
In the last 11 months, Dale committed to losing weight ‘the hard way,’ relying solely on ‘good old fashioned exercise and diet,’ steering clear of medications or fat loss injections.
Dale has since shared that he has shed an impressive 16 stone, which is over 100kg (220lbs) in total, and he’s thrilled with his renewed enthusiasm for life.
“I like to downplay my achievement but secretly I’m buzzing,” he remarked. “I used to be so miserable, feeling guilty and living a lazy lifestyle, but now I’m as happy as ever and I can’t sit still.”
This isn’t Dale’s first time tackling unhealthy habits; in 2015, he lost more than 10 stone after quitting alcohol but relapsed as he struggled with mental health issues.
Dale explained: “I was living alone in a studio apartment, all my mates had girlfriends, wives, and kids and I was just lonely. I also didn’t like my job at the time.”
“As soon as I put a little of weight back on everything just spiraled.”
Now, he’s dedicated to maintaining his weight loss and has been sharing his inspiring journey on TikTok under @slimmeddowndale, hoping to motivate others.
Dale began with a 1,500-calorie diet, carefully measuring his portions, and incorporated 10,000 steps daily to build his endurance.
He stated: “I was so unhealthy to the extent that I couldn’t walk 100 metres before feeling tired.”
By December, Dale reached a significant milestone of 25 stone and decided to challenge his fear of entering a gym.
“Going to the gym at that weight even though I had done it before was terrifying,” he admitted. “I thought everyone was looking at me thinking ‘why is this guy here’.”
Nevertheless, he persisted, combining cardio and weight lifting, achieving impressive results without resorting to GLP-1 medications.
Looking ahead, Dale aims to shed another two stone before participating in a charity boxing match on September 20, grateful for his healthier lifestyle that allows him to actively play with his children.
“I’m now so energetic, I can’t sit still I always want to me doing something,” Dale concluded. “It is the best decision I have ever made.”
“I’m proof that anybody can lose weight no matter how heavy you are.”