MirrorpixA once obese dad has shown incredible willpower by shedding nearly half his body weight, transforming his outlook on life.
Ben Green, from Rhyl, North Wales, once weighed nearly 25 stone (158kg), and suffered from a range of health concerns. He had struggled with his weight since childhood, an issue which had only worsened as he grew up.
However, a health scare following two work accidents forced the 32-year-old father of two to re-evaluate his lifestyle choices and join his local Slimming World group.
Ben GreenIn the first accident, Ben injured his wrist and had to be signed off from work for nine months. During this time, he was diagnosed with depression and anxiety.
After returning to work, Ben suffered a second injury and was told he would need surgery. It was at this point Ben was given a dire warning: the operation could significantly increase his risk of a stroke.
Ben’s father had experienced a number of strokes while he was still only in his forties, which Ben believes was related to his own weight issues.
Knowing how serious a potential stroke could be for himself and his young family, Ben resolved to regain control over his body and join Slimming World.
Ben GreenSpeaking with the Mirror, Ben explained how he was inspired by the stories of other male slimmers:
You think, as a man, that it’s just for women – but as soon as I walked through the doors my eyes were opened.
There were pictures of men and stories about men who had lost weight – and I wanted to be like them.
Showing bags of determination, Ben has made leaps and bounds with his body image through Slimming World, dropping an incredible 10 stone 5lbs.
This impressive weight loss has been reflected in Ben’s dramatically reduced clothing size. He’s gone from wearing a four extra large to a medium; losing 22 inches from his waist and 14 inches from his chest.
The inspirational dad has even recently been listed in the top 10 national Slimming World Men of the Year, becoming a role model in turn for others who wish to lead a healthier lifestyle.
MirrorpixBest of all, Ben’s new, lighter physique has enabled him to fulfil his ambitions of becoming a runner, a sport he had long wanted to have a go at.
Ben has already racked up a series of impressive running achievements, having participated in a 5k run and then a 10k run at Cheshire’s Tatton Park.
His latest 10k run was in Liverpool, where Ben recorded a personal best score of 54 minutes. Going forward, he hopes to run his very first half-marathon, and with his determination I absolutely believe in him.
Ben told the Mirror:
I always dreamed of being a runner, of crossing the finish line and getting a medal. I lost four stone in 10 weeks and that have me a huge confidence boost and I noticed my pain was going.
When I’d lost six or seven stone I stopped using my ankle supports. My ambition was that I wanted to break the cycle of premature deaths in my family because of obesity.
MirrorpixWell done Ben, keep up the excellent work!
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.