How Peter went from fad diets to fit dad

My weight problems had started at college, when I was living alone and finding the pressures of my course difficult. That, and a lack of confidence meant I was often isolated. I’d comfort-eat ready meals to get through dark days, but knew it didn’t really help me. When your favourite food is pizza, working at Domino’s can be really tempting. With access to the stuff all day long, for free, I quickly gained weight – and it wasn’t just a few pounds. Soon, I’d hit the 30st mark.

I ended up failing my course, and took on a job as a Domino’s delivery driver when I moved back home. Soon, I’d worked my way up to be an in-store manager, but the free food didn’t do me any good. I never cooked – I’d just have a large pizza with wings and chips at lunch, followed by a takeaway on my way home. As my weight ballooned, I started to find standing all day difficult, which made my job almost impossible. My boss suggested a meal-replacement diet he’d tried before, and for a while I thought it was the answer.

But it wasn’t. The problem with fad diets is you never learn about healthy eating, so after losing weight, I immediately went back to my old ways and the scales ticked back up to 18st. Combined with the breakdown of my marriage, I became low and withdrawn again.

However, things soon started looking up: I rekindled my friendship with an old colleague, Ruth. We eventually became a couple, and had two beautiful children. But as tired, busy parents, eating was an afterthought. We had homemade meals, but our portions were out of control, and we both started gaining weight.

In 2013, I realised none of my old clothes fitted anymore. It finally hit me that I needed to take control of my weight once and for all. My parents had both had success with Weight Watchers, so at over 23st, I joined Online. I did well and lost 3st, but soon lost motivation. Ruth spurred me on and we decided to attend meetings instead, where we learned about portion control, healthier snacking, and getting more active. It was a total lifestyle change.

Now, I know that I can enjoy the foods I’ve always liked – but in moderation. Ruth and I still love pizza, but we see it as a treat to have once a month with a big side of salad. It’s all about making healthier, smarter choices. I don’t turn to food for comfort any more, either – instead, I channel my low days into a healthy outlet like running, which boosts my mood and makes me feel better. Weight Watchers has truly changed my life for good.

*Weight loss results may vary