Around 12 months ago, Joe Perks looked at himself in the mirror and told himself he needed to change.
He weighed almost 18 stone and was binging on fast food and fry ups after gyms shut during the Covid lockdown.
But now, the 28-year-old has completely transformed his appearance after getting help from a body builder.
READ MORE: Dublin woman who 'ate her way through lockdown' tells how she shed 6 stone
The Birmingham man told the Daily Star: “At first I didn’t want to share the before and after photos because I was embarrassed about the first one. But I thought you know what, I look good in the second one and it is so much better so I shared it.
“I feel so much more confident now and I am so much happier. Honestly, mental health wise it’s amazing, it doesn’t just improve your physique you feel a lot happier mentally.”
Joe, who works for Jaguar Land Rover, was feeling his lowest during the Covid pandemic.
He began piling on the pounds and as he did so he grew more and more despondent.
Looking back on those dark days, he said: “I just lost motivation. My diet was non-existent and I was eating a load of rubbish and was constantly comfort eating. It would be takeaways and cooked breakfasts every morning.
"It affected me mentally and I thought I had to do something because I was unhappy with how I felt.
“I used to go to the gym before lockdown and people thought I looked big and strong in clothes but I had actually become really overweight.
“I looked at myself in the mirror one day and thought something has to be done, I can’t keep going like this.”
Determined to improve, Joe messaged Guy Harding on Instagram who was once known as “Britain’s fittest banker”.
He previously gave an exclusive interview with the Daily Star about his own transformation from skinny teenage boy to super strong man mountain.
Guy now describes himself as a “worldwide physique transformation specialist” and he has helped Joe to change his life.
After altering his diet and sending him specialised training programmes, Joe now weighs 14st and has packed on muscle.
He said: “I had to clear out my wardrobe because my tops are too big and my trousers are too big.
“I have lost over three and a half stone and I started noticing weight loss and the difference in how I looked after about six to eight weeks.
“Guy had me cut out some bad foods I was eating but it was a diet I could actually do and enjoy. It wasn’t just cutting out carbs and things.”
Joe now goes to the gym five times a week and hopes to continue to bulk up.
And as for his diet now, he has two Weetabix and a protein shake before the gym followed by 50gs of Coco Pops and another protein shake afterwards.
For lunch he has 200gs of chicken and 150gs of carbs and he has a similar dinner although he said his meals are not restrictive.
He now wants to share his story to encourage other people to improve their health and fitness.
Joe concluded: “You will be happier mentally like I was. I would tell people just to go and give it a shot because you have nothing to lose at the end of the day.”
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