A father who began uncontrollably comfort eating after suffering with loneliness and depression has revealed how he lost half his body weight in just under a year after seeing his ‘horrific’ wedding photos.
Dale Forrest, 36, from Bolton, fell into a trap of unhealthy eating—gorging on three pasties a day for lunch—battling with poor mental health, an inactive lifestyle and a job he hated.
But, when he saw his wedding photos after marrying his wife, Kat, in September last year, he knew something had to change.
‘I used to be so miserable, feeling guilty but living a lazy lifestyle.
‘When I saw the wedding pictures, I thought I looked horrific and the first thing I said to my wife was I need to make a change.’
As well as scoffing three pasties for lunch, the father-of-two would put away a Greggs for breakfast and a Papa John’s Pizza for dinner before heading to the pub for several pints.
The office worker had previously made an impressive effort to lose the weight over a decade ago—which saw him give up alcohol and lose a mammoth 14 stone.
But, after suffering with poor mental health, his confidence plummeted and the weight piled back on.
‘I was living alone in a studio apartment, all my mates had girlfriends, wives and kids and I was just lonely,’ he recalled.
‘I also didn’t like my job at the time. As soon as I put a little weight back on, everything just spiraled.’
At his heaviest, Mr Forrest weighed 32 stone and sported size 6XL t-shirts.
Then, after meeting his wife Kat in 2021 and having two children, Bailey, 3, and Tate, 1, Mr Forrest began to notice improvements to his mental health—but it wasn’t enough to drop the weight.
But after receiving their wedding photos on September 17, the ’embarrassment’ gave the father-of-two the push he needed to get back on track.
He said: ‘As soon as I saw them I just had to make a change.
‘The first thing I did was bin all the snacks in the house so they weren’t there to tempt me. Then I started my diet.’
Determined to lose the weight and keep up with his two growing children, Mr Forrest tried a calorie-restrictive diet designed for sustainable weight loss—consuming just 1,500 calories a day for a month.
‘I was so unhealthy to the extent that I couldn’t walk 100 metres before feeling tired,’ he recalled.
‘I knew I wouldn’t be able to exercise until I had lost some initial weight.’
According to the NHS, as a guide an average man needs 2,500 kilocalories a day—though this can vary based on age, weight, height and exercise levels.
When trying to lose weight, the health service suggests reducing daily calorie intake by around 600kcal.
Just a month later, the father-of-two had lost two stone, giving him the confidence to add exercise into his daily routine aiming for 10,000 steps a day to build up his fitness levels.
Then in December, having dropped 7 stone, the office worker decided it was time to implement a more structured workout routine.
‘Going to the gym at that weight even though I had done it before was terrifying,’ he said.
‘I thought everyone was looking at me thinking “why is this guy here”.
‘I was self-conscious of my body, but especially my legs,’ he added.
Mr Forrest, who has his eyes set on a charity boxing competition this September, said: ‘I wanted to see what I could do naturally and what was possible’.
Despite starting his fitness journey when the likes of Mounjaro and Ozempic were bursting on to the weight loss scene, Mr Forrest said he didn’t feel the need to use them.
After starting with cardio and light weights, before progression to heavier weights and boxing, the father-of-two found he was able to drop around a stone a month—now weighing a healthy 15 stone.
He added: ‘When the weight started dropping just through diet alone, it made me realise I could do it without [the] support [of weight loss jabs].’
‘I did this the hard way, without the use of jabs or anything. Goold old fashioned exercise and diet got me here, no shortcuts.’
Now, the weight loss influencer, who boasts over 3,000 followers on TikTok, is looking to shed another two stone before September as he inspires others to start their own weight loss journey.
‘I can now play with my children as before I used to tell them to play with their mum.
‘It’s nice when they ask:”Daddy, can you put me on your shoulders”, and I can be there for them.
‘I like to downplay my achievement, but secretly I’m buzzing. I’m now so energetic I can’t sit still, I always want to be doing something.’
He added: ‘It’s the best decision I have ever made. I am proof that anybody can lose weight, no matter how heavy you are.’
