'Fat John' loses 10 stones and his nickname as super slimmer turns his life around

When he weighed 24-and-a-half stone, John Rodger couldn’t carry his shopping up the stairs to his flat.

He was suffering from arthritis and type 2 diabetes and had to ask taxi drivers to haul his bags up two flights as he was breathless on stairs.

But with the help of WW – formerly WeightWatchers – John has shed an amazing 10st and he has lost 12 inches from his waist.

He said: “Growing up, I was always overweight as far as my pals were concerned. They called me FJ for Fat John.

“I didn’t like it. I don’t see those friends now. I suppose they could change it to TJ for Thin John now.”

At his biggest six years ago, John, 58, of Airdrie, was a size 3XL and he had a 52in waist.

He said: “I felt a lot older and my body felt older. I was unable to do basic everyday tasks. I got out of breath so easily.

John Rodger says he was always overweight when he was younger and people called him FJ for Fat John (Daily Record)

“I decided I had to do something about it. I couldn’t continue with my ill-health.

“If I had put on any more weight, I would have become housebound.”

He cut back and managed to drop down to around 20st before joining WW in April 2018.

John added: “I was dreading walking through the doors. I joined the Airdrie workshop and wellness coach Gail Ward just made it so easy. She has been there every step of the way.

“My diet used to consist of pies, sausage rolls, fish and chips, pork pies and large portions.

“I’m now eating fish, chicken, eggs and lots of fruit and vegetables.”

John, who does voluntary work in a hospital, said his whole lifestyle has changed.

He added: “I’m now walking lots and I don’t get out of breath. I’m not puffing and panting after a short distance.

John Rodger has lost 10 stone after realising he would have become housebound if he had kept piling on weight (Daily Record)

“I even attend a circuit class now and I enjoy it. I would never have been able to do this carrying that extra 10st.

“My arthritis is much better and I am no longer on any medications for my diabetes.

“My confidence has improved and I can now take my bags of shopping up those flights of stairs on my own and I don’t get out of breath.

“Some days, I look in the mirror and say, ‘Who’s that looking back?’

“It’s a different life. I recently went on holiday and I was doing six-mile walks.

“Six years ago, I wouldn’t have done six feet, never mind six miles.

“I don’t know how I managed to go about carrying all that extra weight, to be honest.”

● weightwatchers.com/uk