A SCOTS dieter has managed to shed almost half his body weight after being nagged by his doctor dad.
Peter Fraser, from Livingston, weighed in at 22 stone and dropped the weight after walking 50 miles a day for the past two years.
The 38-year-old credits his dad’s encouragement for helping him to reach his target weight.
Mr Fraser, a dairy worker, who now weighs in at healthy 11 stone, suffered high blood pressure and breathlessness before going on a diet.
He says his fathers nagging helped motivate him to lose the weight.
He said: “My dad is a GP and used to get on at me all the time. In some ways that stopped me doing it initially, like anyone with a vice they have to do things in their own time when they’re ready, you can’t be told to do anything.”
He said there was two key moments which led him to start dieting, in July 2009.
Heart attack
He said: “I was on a ski holiday for my dad’s 60th and I could only manage half days when everyone else was doing full ones. Then we went on a work away day and I could only manage to participate in some events. I never really had any huge health problems, other than high blood pressure and being breathless, but I knew I didn’t want to collapse from a heart attack at 40.”
Mr Fraser thinks the simple approach he has taken to losing the weight should encourage others at risk of ill health due to obesity.
He said he “cut out the rubbish” from his diet and began going for walks before he hit the 11 stone mark.
His body mass index has dropped below 25 and is now within a safe range.
He decided to lose a little more weight before Christmas, so he could enjoy the festive period.
He said: “It’s a bit like stage managing weight I suppose.
“My dad’s really pleased and his encouragement has been great. I didn’t tell him I was doing this and then when I went to see him I’d lost a fair bit, he thought I’d had a haircut at first until he realised.
“It’s not always been easy at all. There were a few dark nights when I wondered if it’s really what I wanted to be doing. But of course it’s worth it in the end, it’s really helped my confidence. I’ve been to more away dates, social events, stag weekends.
“And my life expectancy’s significantly better too.”
