A MAN whose obesity was so severe he “wished to die of a heart attack” managed to lose so much weight doctors told him to stop dieting.
Steven Queen weighed over 31 stone and needed help with his mental health because he became suicidal.
But after joining a slimming group he shed 17 stone in a year and now walks around 70 miles a week to stay in shape.
Steven, 40, from Alva, said on Wednesday: “I used to obsess about my weight, and now it’s my calves.”
He said: “In 2015 I weighed over 31 stone. I couldn’t walk for any more than 10 minutes without getting lower back pain and sore legs.
“I looked horrible, I had given up on life and really didn’t want to be alive – I wished a heart attack would strike me down.”
After getting in contact with a local mental health team, a woman asked him if he had ever thought about joining a slimming group after he said he would love to lose weight.
Steven said he was nervous at first, but decided to give it a try.
He added: “I didn’t think I would be able to lose a pound.
“I was apprehensive about going to group at first because I didn’t know what to expect.
“Would it be happy clappy? Would I be the only guy there? Would I be judged? Would my weight be read out?
“But the consultant, Donna, made me feel very welcome and the first week proper I lost half a stone, so I wanted to keep that momentum going, and I lost weight every week for just over a year.”
Over the year, Steven started to notice dramatic changes and even lost four stone within around three months of beginning his weight loss regime.
However, as Steven explains, it got to the point where he was becoming “obsessed” with losing weight.
He said: “At one point I looked ill, my face was gaunt, I was the only one who couldn’t see that at the time.
“Being obsessed about something isn’t really a good thing, it shows that you care and you want to achieve your goal, but you need to have other things in life.
“I achieved my weight loss by losing weight every week, but I put a lot of pressure and expectation on myself every week, and it stressed me out at times.
“The consultant kept telling me that I needed to put on weight, she was concerned. I didn’t want to put on weight, I was scared of doing so.
“When you’re as big as I was takes a bit of getting used to when you lose weight.”
Now focusing on achieving a happy medium, Steven took up hillwalking to and has done various charity walks.
One of his greatest achievements includes, conquering the Ochil Hills near Stirling and walking for charity.
He added: “Completing the 57k and 100k charity walks was a fantastic achievement, I also climbed up the steps in Murrayfield Stadium [Edinburgh] for the Scottish Association for Mental Health. I have more confidence and self esteem. I had social anxiety but i am trying to overcome that by walking in groups sometimes.
“I have walked up quite a few of the Ochil Hills, the likes of Ben Ever, Ben Cleuch, Dumyat and The Nebit. I also climbed up my first mountain Ben Ledi.”
Steven says joining a slimming group was the best thing he ever did and that it’s ok to treat yourself now and again.
“I would also advise people to have a life, go out for that meal, go out for a drink, don’t obsess over it like I did.
“If you want to lose weight it has to come from within, people can advise you, but only you can do it. Visualise yourself in that new dress or new pair of trousers.
“It’s not easy at times, but you have to be determined, and if you are then you will achieve your goal.”
