‘We lost 104kg as a father-son team!’
Paul ln Nugentt was ti tippingi th the scalesl at 168kg and knew his health was in serious danger. “I was on my way to an early grave,” says the truck driver and father-of-four from Forest Lake, Qld.
“I had high blood pressure, I was diabetic and I was always tired because I had sleep apnoea. I had to use a machine at night to help me breathe as otherwise I’d just stop.”
When one of his workmates began looking noticeably slimmer while on the Cambridge Weight Plan Paul, 52, decided to follow suit. He swapped Mcdonald’s, meat pies and litres of Coke for weight-loss shakes and meals rich in protein and vegies.
In just a few months, he was down 20kg. His 26-year-old son Aaron, who weighed in at 124kg, was impressed. So much so, his competitive side suddenly kicked in.
“Dad was trying to get me to do it without forcing me, so he’d tell me he was getting close to my weight, and that wasn’t a nice feeling,” says Aaron, who admits he and his wife Natasha would previously sit down for takeaways at least three times a week.
Aaron began the plan in May 2016, and has lost 31kg. His goal weight of 90kg is now in sight. Meanwhile, after adding regular walks to his routine, Paul has shed an impressive 73kg.
Dad and son enjoy going for walks together – even though Aaron says he struggles to keep up with his dad – and that having each other for encouragement has been invaluable.
“Support is the biggest thing you need and I received so much from everyone,” says Paul.
“Dad and I help to keep each other on track,” agrees Aaron.
‘I was heading down a bad track, but seeing what my old man did really inspired me’