Teacher now 25st lighter
A PRIMARY school teacher has shed an incredible 25st in just two years.
Christopher Hodges once weighed more than 43.5st and was unable to go to the cinema because of his size.
A STAR slimmer from the Cynon Valley has now lost an incredible 25 stone in the past two years – and his transformation is simply incredible.
Primary school teacher Christopher Hodges, 37, once weighed more than 43.5 stone and had an 82-inch waist – and confesses he became “virtually housebound” and hadn’t been to the cinema in more than 10 years because he couldn’t fit into the seats.
His weight increased rapidly five years ago after the death of his mother, and it got to the point where he struggled to walk the 100 metres from his front door to his sister Claire’s house, and had badly ulcerated legs.
But in January 2015 he decided to do something about his unhealthy lifestyle, and joined the Slimming World group in Aberaman run by Kieron Gough – and was about to shed the most weight the group had ever seen.
By January 2016 he had lost an incredible 20 stone, and has since shed a further five stone - with his current weight at 17st 12.5lb.
In total, he’s now 25st 7lb lighter - which is more than half his starting body weight – and he’s dropped 40 inches from his waist.
Christopher said everything changed for him when Claire shared her worries about his health, saying she feared her two daughters would be forced to grow up without their uncle. The two joined the Slimming World group together.
He said: “I became virtually housebound, only going out to go to work, because I worried about being ridiculed in the street or people staring at me.
“I knew then I had to do something about my weight, so in January 2015 we joined Slimming World together.
“I was absolutely petrified but our consultant Kieron met us at the door and immediately put me at ease. Now I tell people walking through those doors was the best decision I ever made.”
And, Christopher says that key to his success was following a new eating plan which was shared by his slimming group.
“My father, who I live with, was recently praised by his nurse as his cholesterol has lowered and he’s lost weight as a result of eating the same meals, too.”
Now Christopher’s life is completely transformed – he has more energy, walks everywhere instead of taking the bus, and feels more confident to go out in public.
The rugby fan has also attended a Six Nations match – one of his lifelong ambitions – and enjoyed a trip to the seaside with his nieces, and taken his students on a trip to see a London show.
And, he says the best thing about slimming down is meeting girlfriend Amanda – a fellow slimmer – at the Aberaman group.
He added: “There’s no doubt that losing the weight has completely changed my life and now I just want to make up for lost time.
“I’d like to learn to drive, to take up cycling and to travel abroad which I haven’t been able to do before because of my size. I feel like if I can lose weight, I can do anything.”
Christopher recently came second at Slimming World’s Greatest Loser 2016 Awards in London.
To join one of Kieron’s slimming groups, call 07930 554446 or go along to one of the sessions every Wednesday at 7.30am, 9.30am, 11.30am, 3.30pm, 5.30pm or 7.30pm, or on Thursdays at 9.30am - all at Abercwmboi RFC.
WORTHINGTON’S MERTHYR & DISTRICT DARTS LEAGUE DIVISION THREE GUEST KEEN BOWLS CLUB B ........................... 7 PENYDARREN SOCIAL CLUB A ........................... 4
MATTHEW Churchill 120, Dai Spencer and Roy Wilkes got the Bowls rolling with a break in the opening triples over Wayne Lee, P McCarthy and Jonathon Evans and 2-0 was then registered on the scoreboard with Wayne Benbow 100, Teg Powell and Mark Benbow 2x100 holding over Richard Beynon, Nigel Owen and Phil Bond.
The Bowls took the first pairs with Wayne Benbow 3x100 and youngest son Mark breaking Jonathon Evans 100 and Steve Clark for a 3-0 lead and this was then became 4-0 with Teg Powell 100 and Carl Jones getting the better of Phil Bond 100 and Wayne Lee. Richard Beynon 2x100 and Nigel Owen finally got the Pen into the game with a hold over Dai Spencer and Steve Wilkes in the final pairs leg.
Wayne Benbow edged the hosts further ahead with a hold in the first singles over Jonathon Evans 2x100 and 6-1 appeared with Teg Powell 121 beating Steve Clark in a tightly fought leg. Mark Benbow 2x100 made it a 7-1 margin with a good win over Richard Beynon but this then signalled the end of the good run for the hosts as the Pen wrapped up the final three legs. Phil Bond 100 beat Steve Wilkes with throw before Nigel Owen got the better of Carl Jones 125 against the darts. The final game went the way of the visitors with Wayne Lee beating Dai Spencer.
ANGEL HOTEL .............. 7 MORLAIS TAVERN ....... 4
STEVE Davies, Gareth Coombs and George Scott 100, 134 took the first leg for the Tavern against John Pugh, Chris John and Steve Phillips but the scores were soon level with Mark Jones, Steve George and Rhys Phillips 84 out beating Neil Griffiths 100, Darren Wells and Chris Brogden ahead of the pairs games.
S Davies 121 and D Wells took the first pairs for the away side with a good win over Glenn Callen and Brent Morgan 100 apiece but back came the Angel again with Chris John 77 out and Rhys Phillips holding over Gareth Coombs 100 and George Scott. The last pairs saw the first break with Mark Jones 132 and Steve George 100 getting the better of N Griffiths and Chris Brogden for a 3-2 home lead ahead of the singles.
Chris John 100 pushed the scoreline to 4-2 with a hold over D Wells in the first singles but N Griffiths 100 reduced the arrears with a good hold over Mark Jones in the next game.
John Pugh 100, 125 returned the hosts to winning ways with victory over George Scott with Rhys Phillips making it 6-3 to the Angel with a fine break over Jimmy Win- stone. Glenn Callan made it 7-3 with a good win over S Davies 121 with Gareth Coombs claiming the last point for the Morlais with victory over Brent Morgan.
DIVISION FOUR CYFARTHFA ARMS ...... 5 VNU ................................ 6
ERROLD Jones, Mark Hadley and D Clayton saw their throw broken by K Driscoll 111, Jarred Russell 100 and Dominic Illari as the Cyfarthfa took an early lead but the home side were quickly pegged back as Steve Darlow 180, Rhiannon Jenkins and Clive Powell broke P Foxhall, J Bailey and S James for a level game.
The pairs saw the hosts dominate with K Driscoll and Jarred Russell 100 breaking Clive Powell and Rhiannon Jenkins for a 2-1 lead which then became 3-1 with Dominic Illari and P Foxhall holding over Errold Jones and Mark Hadley 100. The final pairs leg went he way of the home side with J Bailey and S James beating Steve Darlow and D Clayton with a great break of throw for a 4-1 lead heading into the singles.
K Driscoll 100 scored a shock win over Errold Jones 2x100 putting the home side 5-1 ahead but then a collapse saw the VNU take the remaining five legs for an unlikely victory. Steve Darlow 2x100 started the comeback with a hold over Jarred Russell and a break from Mark Hadley over P Foxhall saw the visitors take a third point. Rhiannon Jenkins held over Dominic Illari 100 for a fourth away point with Clive Powell then levelling with a break over J Bailey. A tense final leg saw D Clayton hold his nerve and darts to beat S James and take the match for the VNU.
FARMERS ARMS ........... 5 DYNEVOR ...................... 6
A HARD fought battle started with Ashley Mayne, N Jones and K Taylor 134 holding over Dean Moulds, S Price 100 and Trevor Jones 105 for an early away lead but this was quickly negated with Dai Jones, Wayne Morgan 100, 120 and Steve Hamer defeating M Edmunds, A James and Kerry Lloyd for a level game at one each.
B Edmunds and A James 100 edged the Dyn ahead at 2-1 with victory over Dean Moulds and S Price 100 and then they made it 3-1 with Kerry Lloyd and B Edmunds breaking the experienced Wayne Morgan 100 and Dai Jones. Ashley Mayne and S Barnett 140 then made it a clean sweep of the pairs legs and a 4-1 lead going into the singles with a good hold over Steve Hamer and Gary Price.
Ashley Mayne 100 broke the throw of S Price to put the Dyn 5-1 ahead but then back came the Farmers with wins for Dai Jones and Dean Moulds with good wins over M Edmunds 100 and Kerry Lloyd respectively to see them trail 3-5. B Edmunds 100 made it 6-3 to the Dyn with a fine win over Wayne Morgan 2x100 but back came the Farmers taking the last two legs through Gary Price 100 and Steve Hamer with wins over N Jones and S Barnett respectively.