Super slimmer urges men in region to follow his lead
HUGE CONFIDENCE BOOST FOR DAD WHO SHED POUNDS
A DAD who has “loads more confidence” after shedding three stones says men need to be encouraged to look after their weight.
Carl Martin, 45, watched wife Alison transform her life as she lost five stones taking part in the Slimming World programme.
But, at first, he thought it wasn’t for him.
Carl, from Newcastle, says he’d been left with the impression that weight loss groups were “for girls” – but he’s now urged other blokes to give them a go after shedding the pounds.
He said: “For a man who doesn’t know about it, it can be quite intimidating, but once you get to the group it’s so inclusive.
“I’ve always had quite low self-esteem but, until I met my wife, I never would have thought about going to a Slimming World group. “Obesity is pretty high among men so I’m sure there are a lot of men out there who could be helped, but I do think there is a stigma there.”
With the huge health benefits that come from losing weight, dad-of-one Carl says plenty of guys would benefit from tackling their weight.
But he claims that, because weight loss and dieting are often associated with women, they may feel worried about coming forward and admitting they’re struggling with their size. The civil servant knows first-hand the difference it can make once you do. Before shedding weight over the last 18 months, he says he suffered from low moods and felt negative about how he looked.
Now he feels “amazing”, walking into high street stores and choosing clothes which feel right to him, and loving what he sees in the mirror. “Everything I do now I push myself.
“I can do karaoke stone cold sober, I can stand up and talk to a room of people, I’ve got loads more confidence,” he said. “When I actually went to the group it was so inclusive, there was no differentiation at all, no ‘you’re a man, what are you doing here?.’ “But taking that first step is the really hard part, I think especially for men. “There are a lot of pressures and expectations on men – you should like football, you should be X, Y and Z – it might not feel like you can ask for help with your weight.” But he’s eager to bust this myth – as well as the myth that losing weight makes you boring, or makes it impossible to still enjoy yourself and indulge. Carl’s weight loss inspired him to start his own Slimming World support group, which meets at Holy Name Church in Jesmond on Saturday mornings. And he says simple swaps have helped him to shed the weight which used to make him feel “large and cumbersome”. For instance, he’s replaced pints on a night out with the much lower-calorie choice of gin, while his favourite meals are still chips, steak, doner kebab and pizza, but now the Slimming World-approved options are much kinder to the waistline.
“You can still have a good time: you can go out, you can have a few drinks, have a fantastic meal and not have to worry about it, because you’re still in control,” Carl said.
And his message to other guys who want to make a change?
“I would say take that first step – it is the hardest and the biggest step you’ll ever take and you won’t regret it.”