A man who ate a takeaway every day for a decade and ballooned to 30st has cut his diet from 7,000 calories a day to 700 – and lost 15st in a year.
Joseph Ruthven, 28, from Bradford, said he was a recluse and felt embarrassed to see his mates when he weighed himself at 30st 6lbs last year.
Despite skipping breakfast most days, the account manager, 28, said he ate a takeaway and drank up to ten cans of fizz each day, alongisde snacks such as packets of crisps, cake and ice cream.
At his heaviest, he had a staggering BMI of 61.2 – the NHS states that anything over 40 is considered ‘severely obese.’
But after forking out £11,500 for a gastric bypass surgery, Joseph has now lost 15st, and feels happier than ever.
Joseph Ruthven, 28, from Bradford, said he was a recluse and felt embarrassed to see his mates when he weighed himself at 30st 6lbs last year (pictured right). He’s now lost 15st (left) and feels happier than ever
Joseph, pictured after his weight loss, went through a £11,500 gastric bypass surgery in order to stop eating the 7,000 calories a day that saw him reach a Body Mass Index of 61.2 (right)
Joseph, said: ‘I weighed 30st 6lbs at my heaviest. I got to a point where I was so self conscious I was terrified of going out.
‘I was unhappy because I was big, but I was big because I was unhappy. It was a vicious cycle.’
Joseph said he used to be a ‘normal size’ as a teenager and played both football and rugby in school – weighing around 15st when he was 18.
However, his bad food habits began around this time when he would eat either a kebab and chips or a large meat feast pizza every day.
His weight gain was slow at first because he was still ‘young and active’ but it began to spiral out of control when he got an office job at 25 and ballooned to over 30st.
After losing half his body weight, pictured, Joseph is getting a new lease of life and enjoys a healthier lifestyle
Joseph says he tried various workouts and even joined Slimming World in a bid to lose the weight – but said he felt isolated and stood out as he was the ‘only bloke’ there.
He said: ‘I was at a point of no return with my weight. I tried everything to lose it. I tried Slimming World but most of the people who attend are women and it made me feel so self conscious.
‘It was hard, I stood out more because I was the only bloke. So I quit.’
Eventually Joseph decided to seek the advice of a medical consultant at Spire Hospital in Leeds, West Yorkshire, who recommended him for a gastric bypass.
The super slimmer now eats healthy meals, exercises at the gym regularly and runs 5K once a week
Showing off his weight loss by posing in an old shirt he wore at his heaviest. Joseph said he tried to lose weight by diet but felt embarrassed about being the only man in his Slimming World group
Joseph said the gastric bypass surgery allowed him to ‘stop hating himself’ after years of feeling embarrassed about his weight (pictured now)
Joseph said: ‘I spoke to my parents in January last year and told them I needed some help because I was deeply unhappy.
‘The private consultant I was referred to suggested I do a gastric bypass because of how big I was and I trusted them fully.
‘It was scary but exciting – the first step to the rest of my life.’
In late October 2019 he had the £11,500 surgery which he says has allowed him to ‘stop hating’ himself.
He added: ‘I’ve never felt happier. It’s changed my life.
Joseph, pictured showing off his weight loss with a pair of old trousers, enjoys a slimmer silhouette
‘I couldn’t put a price on how I feel now compared to 18 months ago.’
A gastric bypass is where surgical staples are used to create a small pouch at the top of the stomach.
The pouch is then connected to your small intestine, missing out, or bypassing, the rest of the stomach.
This means it takes less food to make you feel full and you’ll absorb fewer calories from the food you eat.
When he was younger, Joseph used to play rugby and football in school and was ‘relatively fit’. He explained he put on the weight steadily when he became an adult
Out with the old! Super slimmer Joseph won’t need this very large shirt anymore, now that he has lost 15st
Joseph, pictured now, admitted he struggled to talk about the mental health issues that drove him to eating 7,000 a day at his heaviest because ‘male mental health is so taboo’
Joseph says he lost a stone each week following the surgery, and has completely changed his lifestyle and diet.
He used to gorge himself with food and eat in secret so his parents wouldn’t know – but now eats healthily, goes to the gym and runs 5K every week.
He said: ‘No one eats themselves to 30st because they’re happy. Male mental health is so taboo we find it hard to speak about things that affect us.
‘I used to eat 7,000 calories a day even though I skipped breakfast.
Joseph pictured as a teen. When he was younger, the active chap played football and rugby, but his poor eating habits took over his health
The slimmer before his weight loss. He revealed he was able to make a change before his weight led to more serious health issues
‘I used to live with my parents and I would find ways to eat food in secret – but that’s all in the past now.
‘Thankfully I was able to make this change before I developed any serious health issues that are associated with obesity.’
Joseph said the conversation around male body positivity is still incredibly taboo, but hopes others like himself seek the help they need.
He said: ‘I hope we can start talking about this more – because it’s so important that we take care of ourselves.
‘I think many people are embarrassed the way I was but I feel like I’ve added 10-15 years to my life.’
Feeling confident. Joseph said he hoped talking about male health will become less of a taboo and that others like him will seek the help they need
Showing off his slimmer waist. Joseph said he felt he added 10 to 15 years to his life thanks to the gastric bypass surgery and dieting