22st man’s incredible weight loss after cutting out sugar and shedding half his bulk
New Zealander Ben Pammet endured bouts of anxiety and depression after watching his body balloon while gorging on sugary foods
A MAN who once tipped the scales at a dangerous 22 stone managed to lose half of his body weight in just nine months.
New Zealander Ben Pamment endured bouts of anxiety and depression after watching his body balloon while gorging on sugary foods.
A serious knee injury was the catalyst to Pamment's downward spiral in his early 20s and he used it as an excuse to hide himself away from the world.
He avoided family events and meeting friends because he felt ashamed about the way he looked through "bad habits and eating".
Pamment's isolation, that went on for almost two years, meant he started developing serious anxiety and depression further restricting his ability to become active.
Sugar and food became his "best mates" until he finally decided enough was enough and opted to fight back.
Pamment decided to make a drastic change, starting with his diet - cutting out sugar completely.
, he said: "It was incredibly hard, and I fell off the wagon a few times, but if you want something enough you will get there.”
Pamment then decided to join a gym and carefully devised a new fitness plan in which he would work out five days every week.
I didn’t want to show everyone I was a quitter
Ben Pamment
With a knee injury to contend with, Pamment took things one small step at a time and it wasn't long before he started noticing a dramatic difference.
He said: "The change was dramatic.
“I posted it onto social media, as I was very proud. I was overwhelmed with support and comments and from there onward I felt like I had to keep going not only for myself but others as I’d become a role model and I didn’t want to show everyone I was a quitter.”
Pamment's determination ensured he managed to drop a staggering 11 stone in those nine months and not only does he look more physically healthy, he admits it has also helped his mental state too.
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He added: "There were mentally challenging times, too, and times I would go home in tears or wanted to give up. But I always remembered that the bigger picture was the ultimate goal and the feeling I would get when I achieved it.
"To reach the weight that I have is still crazy to me, as it hasn’t even been a year of my life.
"My mindset and thought pattern has changed dramatically everything about the mental side has changed, and I’m very positive, where 11 months ago you wouldn’t even whisper the word positive and associate it with me."
