When Arron Davies tipped the scales at an unhealthy 30st 10lbs, he said he felt depressed and withdrawn from society.
Growing up the 23-year-old had turned to comfort eating as a coping mechanism as he struggled with his body image and self-worth.
But after telling his family he was gay he said he finally found the motivation to do something about his weight – and within three years he had lost an incredible 11st.
Read more: 'Morbidly obese' woman’s astonishing transformation after losing almost 7st
"Before I lost the weight I felt like I was surviving – but now I'm living," said Arron.
Arron, from Ely, Cardiff , said at his heaviest he would binge eat in his room for hours on end and keep all the emotions around his sexuality bottled up.
"My confidence was so low that I didn't feel like walking out the door sometimes because I thought other people were judging me," he admitted.
The primary school teaching assistant said that he became addicted to sugar and would wake up every morning with a full-fat can of Coke.
He added: "I would then go to college and my typical lunch would be a burger or whatever was in the canteen. Then at tea I would eat unhealthy, processed food cooked in oil, like chips."
But he said the turning point came when he spoke to his mum about his sexuality three years ago.
"I'd feared being disowned but my mum said that she was really proud of me and loved me for who I am. It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders and I finally felt like I could be myself."
Arron then decided to join his local Slimming World group in a bid to shed the pounds once and for all.
"Picking up the basics was a bit of a struggle to begin with but once I'd wrapped my head around the Slimming World plan then I started to notice the weight loss," he said.
"Seeing the weight loss then really motivated me to keep on going."
In just the second week of attending the group Arron had lost an amazing 10lbs and within a year he had lost a staggering nine stone.
"Using low-fat cooking spray, taking the skin off chicken, taking the fat off meat – these simple things have made a big difference," he added.
"I've switched from having that full fat Coke to a piece of fruit for breakfast. Then around lunchtime I'd typically eat a jacket potato with beans and then tea time would be a Slimming World chicken tikka masala."
Arron said he urged people in a similar position as him to "never give up" on their weight-loss dreams.
"No matter how much you feel down there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. But you have to be motivated to do it otherwise you'll just fail," he said.
"I also think people should seek help if they are feeling really down. There are other people the same as you."
To date Arron has lost exactly 11st, dropping from 30st 10lns to 19st 10lbs. However his aim is to reach 17st.
"My confidence has skyrocketed and I now feel comfortable wearing branded clothes," he added.
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