MATT Briggs hit the national headlines after losing more than half his body weight. Now helping others lose weight for a living, he tells health reporter Kate Liptrot why slimmers need to avoid fad diets to succeed.

IT was after Christmas four years ago that a family photograph spurred Matt Briggs into losing an incredible 17 stone.

When the snap was posted on Facebook, the extent of the 27-year-old’s weight gain was brought home as he posed next to his father Peter.

It was what was needed to spur him into action.

Days later Matt had joined a York slimming club with his stepmum and began an incredible process of weight loss which saw him drop from 31 stone to about 14 over a two-year period.

The transformation was remarkable – starting with a 56-inch waistline and buying clothes in specialist shops – Matt went to a 34-inch waist, shopping in the high street and often going unrecognised by stunned friends and colleagues.

And his story gained national attention after being featured in The Press, when Matt went on to feature in national newspapers and magazines.

Now 31, Matt, of Strensall, has kept the weight off for two years and has stopped working as the manager of a mobile phone shop to go on to run and manage Slimming World groups in Strensall, Fulford and Holgate, with the aim of helping some 350 members change their lives.

Speaking as thousands of people in York and North Yorkshire are expected to swap indulging for dieting this month, Matt has urged people to avoid quick fixes and fad diets.

Instead he says the key to success is to choose a realistic healthy eating plan and get support to make lifestyle changes.

“This time of year lots of people will have been around family and friends with cameras and a picture turns up and they don’t recognise what they see,” Matt said, “I was always the head between people.

“Lots of people start January with the best of intentions but by the end of the month so many of them have given up, defeated by hunger, boredom or feelings of deprivation.

“I want people to know that losing weight doesn’t have to be that way, that not all slimming attempts are doomed and not all ‘diets’ are the same.

“It’s easy to be wooed by the plans that promise the fastest loss, but it’s really important this new year that slimmers in York think sensibly about which plan they choose and look at which offers the most chance of long-term success.

“Diets based on deprivation can be very unhealthy and are almost impossible to keep up, meaning you’re bound to throw in the towel and will probably be left feeling like a failure by February.”

While men are less likely to join weight-loss groups, they should go for it as they can be particularly successful, Matt said.

“It has been argued that often when men put their mind to it they do it,” he said, “It is a bit daunting but it’s like having a room full of sisters or mums, it’s like having an extended family.”

Now very active and enjoying a complete career change, Matt said he is an example of what people can achieve in the long term if they put their minds to it.

“It’s not just a job to pay the bills, I love what I do and seeing the transformations.

“In 2013, I ran two marathons – in York and London – and have taken part in runs and other challenges.

“I have kept the weight off for two years.”


Top tips to shed weight

• Join a weight-loss club for support in coping with psychological and emotional challenges faced by slimmers. “There’s no denying that changing the habits of a lifetime can be challenging and there will be times, perhaps when your weight loss slows down or a ‘bad week’ leads to a temporary gain, when it can be tempting to give up. That’s where getting support week in, week out to make changes and keep them up comes in,” Matt said

• Cook from fresh, “You will see the benefits straight away and it doesn’t take any longer than waiting for a takeaway to arrive.”

• Satisfy your appetite with healthy ‘Free Foods’, including fruit and vegetables, pasta, rice, potatoes, lean meat, fish, eggs, pulses and fat-free dairy.

• Move from high to low sugar choices – for example swap full-fat cola to diet or swap high-fat butter to low fat spread or oil to light cooking sprays.

•Choose the healthier option on the menu – you don’t need to avoid eating out, just exercise common sense.


Contacts

To find weight-loss support groups in your area, visit www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Weight-loss-support-groups/Location/1429 For information about Slimming World visit www.slimmingworld.com or phone Matt on 07449 961111.