An obese dad-of-three has shed seven stone after a doctor warned him: "if you don't lose weight, you will be dead within six months". After suffering two strokes, it was the wake-up call Pete Haylor needed.
The 76-year-old, who runs his own business repairing and installing satellite systems, endured the first mini stroke while up a ladder. He temporarily lost the feeling in the left side of his body, but thought nothing of it and carried on.
Weeks later he suffered a second stroke while drinking coffee at home. He lost the feeling in his left side and when he tried to tell his wife Susan his face had sagged and he couldn't get his words out.
Susan called an ambulance and they told him he had suffered a minor stoke. He went to hospital and it was discovered that a vein in his neck had become blocked.
Then, during a trip to his doctor's, Pete was given a further wake-up call when his doctor abruptly told him: "If you don't lose weight and get healthy you will be dead within six months." That was the warning that Pete needed and he knew he had to take immediate action to save his life.
Pete, from Billesley, said: "The doctor saved my life. He was very abrupt with what he said and how he delivered it, but it was the wake-up call I needed. I weighed 18 stone 11-and-a-half pounds at my heaviest.
"I had suffered two strokes, the first one I ignored, but the second one was more serious and I went to hospital. I knew I had to change my life."
Pete signed up with Slimming World based in Billesley. Before losing weight he would start the day with a fry-up before going to the chippie at lunchtime for a kebab or fish and chips. In the evening, he would snack again on takeaway food and on top of that eat chocolate and crisps.
Pete admitted that before he lost weight he could cook very basic meals such as beans on toast. He started cooking healthy, low-calorie slimming options and with the help of Slimming World the weight dropped off.
He dropped seven stone at first but, after comments from people that he was looking too gaunt, he put several pounds back on. He now weighs 12 stone four-and-a-half pounds.
Pete added: "I have never felt so good. Before I lost the weight I was out of breath just walking up the stairs. Now I feel a totally different person so much fitter and healthier.
"The doctor who was abrupt with me and told me I would die if I didn't lose weight literally saved my life and I am grateful to him for giving me the wake-up call I needed.
"I started losing weight 11 years ago and I have never missed a Slimming World meet in that time." Pete recently won Slimming World's Greatest Loser Award.
Jeni O'Brien, team leader at Slimming World Birmingham South and Central said: "Pete's story is inspirational. He transformed his life after being told he would be dead within six months. He has been an ever present at our regular meetings in Billesley. He is a deserved winner of the Greatest Loser Award."
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