Steve's half the man he used to be!

Stephen, of St Mary's Wharf, Blackburn, took on the weighty problem of losing eight and a half stone and he's almost made it.

Stephen, 28, has been a member of the Thursday morning Weight Watchers' Club which meets in Blackburn Library since November last year.

At his first weigh-in he clocked up 22st 4lbs with a 46ins waist and a 58ins chest.

Now, seven-and-a-half stone lighter he's a shadow of his former self with his sights set on losing another 15lbs.

Stephen, who works at Blackburn Royal Infirmary says he has finally got his life on track after being overweight all his life.

He said: "There wasn't one kind of food which was my downfall -- I used to eat all day, from getting out of bed in the morning to getting back in at night!

"If I can lose weight then anyone can!"

Stephen feels he owes his weight-loss success to his colleagues at Weight Watchers and also to staff at the Regency Gym in King George's Hall who have developed a fitness programme for him.

But Stephen should take most of the credit for himself.

Weight Watchers leader Eileen Lowe said: "Stephen has worked exceptionally hard to lose his weight and we are all very proud of him.

"He still has some way to go yet to reach his goal weight but I am sure he will get there."

Stephen, who works mostly on the night shift at hospital, has kept his old uniform to remind him how big he used to be.

He said: "As the weight came off I carried on wearing my old, large size uniform until it looked ridiculous.

"Now I have a smaller size but when the rest of the pounds come off that might be too big as well."

Clothes were always a problem for Stephen when he was big because he could never get the right size. Now they are problem because he can't stop buying them!.

He added: "My whole life has been turned around and my social life has changed beyond recognition.

"I am pleased with my weight loss but I will always remember that there is a fat person inside me and try to hang on to my willpower."