He made a pledge to change at the start of last year
Josh Hilton before and after his weight loss(Image: Josh Hilton/SWNS)
A man lost 10 stone in a year without exercising or using weight loss jabs after kicking his £3,000-a-year fast food addiction. Josh Hilton, 31, weighed 20st at his heaviest and would find himself sweating just tying up his laces.
He wore a size 2XL and a 48in waist at his biggest and would eat two or three takeaways, including McDonald’s and KFC, as well as consuming three litres of full fat coke, every day. But after seeing himself in a work photo, Josh decided enough was enough and began to change his ways on January 1, 2024.
Instead of exercising or turning to jabs, Josh drastically changed his diet and put himself in a calorie deficit. He swapped the takeaways, crisps, chocolate and cakes for protein-heavy meals, fibre and fruit and veg.
Over the next 12 months Josh managed to shed half his bodyweight and now weighs 10st 1lbs and wears 28in jeans. Since January he has been maintaining his weight.
Josh, a hairdresser, from Lyneham, Wiltshire, said: “Health-wise before, my breathing wasn’t great. I’d struggle to do my shoelaces without sweating.
“I couldn’t get in the car if another car was near it because of my belly – it was embarrassing and humiliating. Day-to-day life was uncomfortable, really.
“Now I’m so much more confident, I sleep better, my skin is better, I actually want to get up each morning and get on with my day. I just want to take on the world. I know I now need to incorporate some exercise to get some muscle mass back in and get some shape.”
Josh made a plan to change(Image: Josh Hilton/SWNS)
Josh had tried multiple diets before, none of which seemed to work.
He said: “I’ve been on and off diets all the time. From a young age, I’ve liked food, but struggled with my weight.
“I’ve done Slimming World, keto, but nothing worked before. It was a photo from November 2023 at a work Christmas do.
“I took a second look to actually see it and it made me really upset. That was the turning point to really make a change.”
After nailing his calorie deficit, Josh said people often assumed he has used a weight loss jab or “been to Turkey” for weight loss surgery.
He said: “I’ve done no exercise whatsoever, apart from walking a lot more. I wanted to get the food side down.
“No jabs or any gastric sleeve. The first thing people ask is if I’ve done a jab or been to Turkey. I’ve nothing against any of that, but sometimes hard work isn’t appreciated – it was solely calorie deficit.”
Before losing the weight, Josh would eat so much in the evening it would make him feel sick the next day.
He said: “When I checked how much I’d spent on certain takeaways, it was disgusting; £6,000 on McDonald’s in a two-year bracket.
“Along with other takeaways, around £10,000 in two years. It all added up, I was out of control.
“I’m quite shy and I’ve had a bit of anxiety – food was my comfort. But it wasn’t good mentally, I knew I was damaging my body.
“I was hot all the time, exhausted all the time. I gave up – I’d work, go home and eat.”
Despite turning his life around, Josh still feels like a 20st man.
He said: “I am proud of myself, and I feel a million times better, but you know what? I still wake up each morning feeling like I’m 20 stone.
“I still mentally feel huge. It’s a battle – I don’t think I’ll truly ever be happy, but who is?
“Food addition is real and isn’t understood enough. If someone is an alcoholic or has a gambling addiction, there seems to be more sympathy.”
Josh overhauled his diet(Image: Josh Hilton/SWNS)
When it comes to advice for others, Josh recommended people getting comfortable with seeing small improvements.
He said: “I know it sounds cliché, but take it slowly. When you are bigger, you’ve got an addictive and impulsive personality, and you want quick results straight away.
“But reign it in and be happy with half a pound a week. If you get the calorie deficit side right as well, you can eat what you want and still lose weight.”
Josh’s diet before weight loss
Breakfast – Skip breakfast
Lunch – Skip lunch
Dinner – Takeaway (McDonald’s, Chinese, Indian, Kebabs)
Snacks – Cakes, crisps, chocolate
Drinks – Three litres of full fat coke
Josh’s diet after
Breakfast – Low-fat yoghurt with fruit and honey or porridge
Lunch – Jacket potato with beans and cheese or a salad
Dinner – Pasta dishes, protein dishes, veg.
Snacks – Crisps in moderation, fruit, low-calorie chocolates
Drinks – three or four litres of water