24-year-old slimmer is a third of his former self

A 24-year-old man has said he feels “normal” for the first time in his life after shedding two thirds of his weight, having recently lost 160kg and dropped 76cm from his waistline.

Oliver Bales, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, said he had been bullied about his weight — which at his heaviest reached nearly 247kg (39 stone) — throughout his school and university life.

He said he was unable to stand for long periods without being in pain, had high blood pressure, and could not fit on seats on public transport or in lecture theatres at university.

Inspired by reading about a friend’s weight loss on social media, Mr Bales turned to Slimming World, which has crowned him its Greatest Loser 2016. Mr Bales joined his local group and worked with consultant Colette May-Matthews to reduce his 247.43kg (38st 13.5lb) weight.

Mr Bales lost almost 160kg (25st and 0.5lb) taking him to 88kg (13st 13lb). He has gone from wearing size 6XL clothes with a 163cm (64in) waist to an M with a 86cm (34in) waist and has also dropped down two shoe sizes.

His new daily menu starts with a breakfast of bran flakes with a fat-free yoghurt and chopped strawberries, or a pepper and spinach omelette with low-fat sausages.

For lunch he has chicken and sweetcorn pasta salad or a smoked ham and cream cheese sandwich on wholemeal bread with salad on the side.

And for dinner he has homemade butternut squash risotto when short on time.

He now has snacks of satsumas, apples, pears, melon, raspberries, strawberries, vegetable sticks, hard-boiled eggs, fat-free yoghurts, low-fat hot chocolate, fun-size Mars and Twix bars, or high-fibre cereal bars.