A dad has lost five stone using a neat trick in order to reach his New Year weight goal. Terry Burt, 67, weighed 23 stone before he began using a substitution method whilst snacking, reports Manchester Evening News.
The 67-year-old would regularly spend evenings in his Greater Manchester home watching TV whilst eating crisps, chocolate and sweets. However, when he realised he was getting too big he decided something had to change in his lifestyle back in early 2022.
The father decided to embark on a weight loss journey with his wife Angela and the pair signed up to Beeweighed, a weight loss support group. The couple took on a calorie-counting regime and the weight began to drop off – with Terry quickly losing almost five stone.
He said: "I could still have snacks, but instead of a pack of Walkers, I’d have some that were 70kcals instead. With chocolate, I would have an Alpro bar instead of a Mars bar.
"My head is still having these treats, but not the calorie count I would have had if it was normal.” Since signing up to the programme in February last year, Terry has managed to lose an incredible four and a half stone.
Now weighing 16 stone, he aims to lose an extra stone by March next year by sticking to 1,600kcals a day. Terry added: “It really works.
“If you put weight on, no one is having a go at you. They support you and the next week you draw a line under it and start again.
“The weight has been coming off. Usually with weight loss programmes you give up after four months and within two weeks you put the weight back on.
"[My weight loss] is months ahead of schedule.” Terry says he also stays active to help his weight loss journey and manages to swim twice a week.
The father also revealed he sticks to eating healthy meals including pasta, chicken, fish, jacket potatoes and lots of vegetables. Terry said: “I used to have a lot of bread.”
“I still have bread but they are 50kcal a slice. My biggest drama was watching telly with crisps, chocolate and sweets.
"At Beeweighed , you can do whatever suits you. You’re not denied access to anything.
“I’ve got a lot more energy and I’m comfortable. It’s cost me a fortune in clothes, though – I've had to get rid of a lot of stuff and get new shirts, etc. I’m fitting into clothes I’ve not worn for four or five years.
“My enthusiasm so far has not dropped an ounce. I’ve not thought, ‘Sod this, I’m not doing this’. It works and I’m happy.
“It’s a good group and Lynda does a good job. I’m glad I met her; she sorted my life out.
"I’ve not been happy with my body for around 15 years.” Beeweighed owner Lynda Leadbetter was full of praise for the father and his big strides last year.
She said: “Terry has been an absolute pleasure to help, he smashes his goals every week, he’s a valued member of the Denton group and I’m extremely proud of him. True story - he’s lost that much, when he was getting his brew, his trousers actually fell to the floor!”
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
