A university graduate who was working out 20 times a week and counting every calorie, has overcome his unhealthy gym obsession and developed a food app to help others.
Sonny Drinkwater, 24, became obsessed with the gym when an injury meant that he couldn't row anymore, Bristol Live reports.
The University of Bristol graduate started going to the gym to keep fit, but the hobby spiralled into an unhealthy fixation on fitness, and he began limiting his diet to 1,000 calories a day - logging absolutely everything he ate.
At the peak of his obsession two years ago, he was going to the gym 20 times in a week and his mental health was taking a huge hit.
But in the midst of his struggle he realised there was a business opportunity to help people with specific diet needs or desires, and the idea for his online food shop, WellEasy, was born.
Reflecting on his time at university while he spoke to BristolLive, he said: "I was quite ill. I got into a spiral of calorie counting and going to the gym obsessively.
"I’d get up at 6am for cardio, do weights at lunch and then more cardio in the evening, all while eating exactly 1,000 calories a day. It took a massive toll on my mental health.
“At the same time I’d go into a shop and find something with four good ingredients that cost £4, yet something highly processed with 20 ingredients would cost 70 pence.
“I realised there must be a better way."
Having graduated from university with an integrated Masters in History with Innovation, after five years of studying, Sonny launched the project with his school friend, Joshua Barley.
The pair started working out of Sonny's parent's home garage, but so far have already secured almost £400,000 of funding to boost their start-up.
They are supported by co-founder of online furniture giant Made.com, Julien Callede, who has been leading them since May this year after joining as a non-executive director.
WellEasy members can shop by their lifestyle choices and values according to categories like vegan, keto and gluten free, choosing from more than 1,500 products across the site.
Hundreds of people have already joined, and every new member sponsors a free membership for a low-income family, NHS worker, teacher, student or armed forces veteran as part of the 'WellEasy Cares' scheme, which 50 people have signed up to benefit from so far.
The venture was a finalist in the University of Bristol’s New Enterprise Competition last year and was part of the university's Foundership Scheme in 2018, designed to equip students with entrepreneurial skills through workshops and networking opportunities.
Sonny said: “We wouldn’t have started this if it wasn’t for Bristol Uni and the help their Careers Service gave us with startup workshops, internships and funding."
Stuart Johnson, director of the University of Bristol’s Careers Service, said: "Sonny’s success as a entrepreneur is all the more inspiring when you consider how radically different his lifestyle was just a few years ago.
"WellEasy is making healthy food a viable option for people who otherwise couldn’t afford it. We are proud that Sonny began his journey at Bristol."
