A man has been named Slimming World's 'man of the year' after shedding over 14 stone in two years, and it all started when he went to Leeds Festival.
Back in 2021 Aaron Walker was looking forward to heading off to Leeds Festival with his mates where he'd have had the chance to see the likes of Liam Gallagher, Stormzy, and Post Malone.
It was surely not a bad roster of acts, though not quite a patch on certain past offerings like the line up in 2000, and Aaron was really looking forward to making it to the festival.
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However, he told Slimming World 'it was clear my size was becoming a problem' even before he made it, explaining that the button from his shorts had broken off shortly before the festival and he'd decided to sew it back on himself.
Once he got there he realised that he had a hard day of being on his feet all the time ahead of him and felt 'out of breath' from the walk between the festival entrance and the main stage.
He admitted that he even missed one of his favourite bands, Two Door Cinema Club, because he was 'too exhausted to walk across the field to where they were playing'.
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This ended up being a 'lightbulb moment' for Aaron as he realised that being at a festival with his mates should have been fun and it wasn't.
He explained that when he was younger his parents padlocked the treat cupboard to stop him from eating everything in it and when he moved out and gained his independence he found he could eat whatever he wanted.
Boozy nights out would end with a takeaway and Aaron would have another one the next day to treat the hangover.
His mum and his sister were already Slimming World members and Aaron knew he could lose weight by signing up, but in just two years his transformation has been incredible.
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When he joined he was 26 stone 12-and-a-half pounds and he returned to Leeds Festival another two years on 12 stone 10-and-a-half pounds.
"I feel like I have got my life back, and I'm enjoying my life," Aaron said of his two-year journey, and revealed he felt like his journey had worked because he was able to still eat plenty even though he was now eating a much healthier diet.
He combined his diet with walking for exercise to 'get the steps in' as he was nervous about setting foot inside a gym.
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For his efforts and achievements Slimming World dubbed him their 'man of the year' for 2023.
Joe Harker