MEET PAUL, THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN WHO LOST 70 KILOS IN A YEAR

Brisbane truck driver Paul Nugent is Australia's incredible shrinking man after losing a staggering 70 kilos in just a year.

The father of four faced a tipping point in his life when he reached a massive 168kg.

Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, extremely high blood pressure and sleep apnoea causing him to stop breathing up to 50 times an hour, Paul was caught up in a lifestyle of sedentary and fast food, reaching for pies and donuts as his go to on the road.

A stark reality check came from a concerned family member who bluntly warned him that his life was at stake unless he shed the excess weight.

Those words served as a catalyst for Paul, propelling him onto a transformative health journey.

Remarkably, within just one year, Paul lost an astounding 70 kilograms.

Here, he tells Lifestyle News how he successfully lost the weight and, more importantly, how he has managed to maintain his newfound healthier lifestyle.

Q: Did a family member really tell you that you would die if you didn't make lifestyle changes?

A: Yes, they certainly did. A couple of family friends saw me, said they were worried about me, and also didn’t think I’d make it another year.

Not to mention, my four boys were worried around the clock when they saw how tired and cranky I was all the time, which was quite sobering.

Q: What did you do - was it hard?

A: The 1:1 Diet’s program and my amazing consultant Tamara were both in theory easy to follow!

However, the mental hurdle of losing this weight was a difficult one to conquer. But as the weight started coming off each week it was great motivation to keep going and the mental hurdle was soon overcome.

The convenience and routine of meal replacements really resonated with me, not to mention the support from Tamara.

This was a game changer because she kept me honest and accountable. When I lost 8.8kg within the first four weeks, I knew this was the diet for me!

There were some occasions that it was hard – like when I was on holidays or on nights out, but even if I did fall off the wagon a bit, I got straight back on track rather than succumbing to a downhill slide.

It was really about finding what worked for me, which is obviously going to be different for everyone.

Q: Please tell me a normal day's eating when you were on the road before starting your health journey.

A: I used to eat a lot of takeaways (pizza, burgers, fish and chips), and I definitely loved my morning iced coffee. I also drank a lot of coke – around two litres a day and would always wind down with a few beers at the end of each day.

Q: What is a typical day's eating now?

A: Breakfast – high protein (often eggs, bacon). Lunch - salads and meat. Dinner - meat and vegetables with the occasional 1:1 Diet Bar as a snack. I limit my carbs and sugars as I don’t want to end up back on insulin.

Q: What do you weigh now and how long did it take to shift the weight?

A: I usually sit between 100-105kg and it took just under a year to shift the weight.

Q: How do you feel now when you look in the mirror?

A: I honestly feel incredible and so proud. I remember feeling overwhelmed when I saw photos of myself beforehand because I had given up on myself.

Now, I’m proud of the fact that I managed to lose an incredible amount of weight which I have consistently maintained within 10kg of my final weigh in.

Q: How many clothes sizes have you dropped?

A: I went from a 4XL to L.

Q: Many people would like to do what you have done. Any words of advice?

A: My main piece of advice that I say all the time is ‘just do it!’ I find that there is nothing stopping you and you have everything to gain!

Additionally, it’s so important you gather your village. The support I surrounded myself with was key to my success. If I didn’t have the weekly catch-ups with Tamara, I’m not sure I would have lasted the distance.

My family and friends were also a great support and helped to keep me on track.

Q: Anything else you would like to say?

A: I’m so glad I found The 1:1 Diet, I honestly don’t think I would still be here today if I continued down the path I was following!

The different maintenance options that The 1:1 Diet offer and the continued support from my consultant has really helped me keep my weight in check.