TOO FAT TO WORK’ COUPLE We’re losing those spare tyres
THE couple who said they were too fat to work have finally got off the sofa.
Stephen Beer and his new bride Michelle, whose combined weight is 55 stone 6lbs, have signed up to a gruelling six-week bootcamp.
The pair who love gorging on kebabs, Chinese food and spaghetti Bolognese have ditched take-aways for lettuce and turkey breasts.
And seven days in, they claim to have already lost 25lbs each after pounding the treadmill each day.
But it hasn’t been easy for the couple, who were branded benefits slobs after appearing on a TV documentary.
Flabby, sweaty Stephen, 45, is never far from a sit-down.
After 10 repetitions of the kettleball he quickly drops it and retreats to a comfy seat, leaving Michelle to carry on.
“Do this and you can have a kebab, without bread, chilli, mayo,” jokes their personal trainer Paul Saunders.
Breathless Stephen quickly recovers, shouting: “I don’t want a kebab mate, I want to get back to the gym.”
He and Michelle, 43, are kitted out i n black sports trousers, trainers and white Fatoff-fit-on T-shirts.
Stephen is keen to show how well he can run. Although on the beach he struggles with the uneven stones, back in the gym he’s a growling force of nature. Another rest quickly follows. Tossing a tyre over his head, it’s like he’s visualising throwing away a few of his own spare ones.
Disgusting
By the time Michelle meekly stands, ready for the next challenge of press-ups, it’s clear she’s already knackered and time for Stephen to take over.
“I don’t want to sponge off the Government, it’s just not me,” says Stephen on yet another rest.
“We took a lot of stick over the show. When I watched it and saw myself sitting on the sofa eating kebabs, I knew I had to change.
“I’m getting used to new healthy food. When I see junk on TV now it makes me feel sick. It’s disgusting.”
The couple were stung by the negative comments after they appeared in Channel 5 show Benefits: Too Fat To Work.
They were also criticised for spending £3,000 of their benefits on their wedding.
But most importantly, the couple say they realised that being obese, especially for Stephen who has type 2 diabetes, is a sure-fire death sentence.
He said: “There was no way out. We have to get better and get fitter and sort our lives out. I could have been dead.”
Luckily, on standby were Fat-off-fiton bootcamp duo Paul and Mel Loader, who l ast week picked the Beers up from their home in Plymouth, Devon, and spirited them to a secret location in East Sussex. Trainer
Paul and nutritionist Mel are experienced at dealing with cases of super-obesity.
“We knew it was a challenge but it was achievable,” says Paul. “We’ve seen lots of cases like Michelle and Steve and we know we can turn their lives around.”
Stephen, 5ft 5ins tall, weighed 32st with an incredible measurement of 5ft 8ins around the hips. Michelle is 4ft 11ins and weighed 23st 6lbs.
But after seven days of rising at 7am to exercise for five hours, they’ve already noticed massive differences. Stephen said: “It was a struggle at the start and still is now, but things are falling into place.
“I couldn’t touch my knee a week ago. Even waking up at 7am is unheard of for me. But look at me getting up now.
“I used to be breathless but I’m not any more.
“For the first time in five years I’ve been able to run. It feels fantastic.” And with that Paul takes hold of two bungee ropes