A scaffolder says he feels like a 'new man' having lost almost eight stone thanks to the help of a well-known local nutritionist. Luke Franco, 43, of Leicester, lost seven and a half stone in less than a year thanks to online nutritionist and former body builder, John Clarke, who is from Nottingham and known for helping people turn their lives around.
Luke came across John as he was a fan of boxer David Allen, the popular British heavyweight fighter known as the White Rhino, who was a client of John's. Luke said: "I'm a huge huge fan of his and when he started working with John I went on John's page and had a look at the work he had done and I thought wow.
"I suppose you just get comfortable with life and you see yourself everyday and don't realise how bad things are getting, so you do sort of just eat when you feel like it and eat what you like." Luke initially signed up in November 2021 to do John's '21 day challenge' where he lost an incredible two stone in just 21 days.
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Luke said: "Without John's guidance I would probably still be 23 stone and eating Greggs for breakfast." John said: "It is basically a 21 day kick start, so people jump on a diet plan and training plan.
"He lost over two stone in 21 days, it's probably the biggest loss I've ever had." Since then Luke has done two eight week plans with John, with his wife joining him on the second eight week plan.
Luke said: "I did seven and a half stone and my wife did four and a half stone." He explained that his wife, Tammy Franko, 33, was supporting him right from the start, Luke said: "She was getting up with me, doing the cardio, going to the gym and eating the meals.
"It started falling off her too, even though John's plans are individually tailored, it still had an effect on her. After that it was Christmas and stuff, so with the change in mindset we behaved slightly better, and I still managed to loose a few more pounds.
"Then I did another plan with John." Months later Luke says he now feels "like a new man."
He said: "Obviously I move a little bit faster now weighing 15 and a half stone compared to 23 stone, but other things like taking the kids out, I'm more involved in stuff like that and things that I wouldn't have done before, like adventure playgrounds, waterslides and rides at the fair."
Recently the family has been to Spain, but Luke was still getting up in the mornings and going for a run. He now runs 10k three or four times a week before he starts work.
John said: "It was very basic what I did, I just got him moving more, to set his day up and get his mindset right. "He started to feel better about himself, his self-esteem started rising and he started taking a bit more pride in itself. I knew if he got off to a good start it would motivate him and that's what happened.
"The way that I do the plan is so that it's sustainable, the whole idea is to give a client the tools so they are not reliant on me or a coach for the rest of their lives. He did a 21 day, then he signed up for an 8 week with me and I think he then lost five stone, and I then told him to go on his own for a bit an just experience controlling the diet on his own which he did, so he lost more weight on his own.
"Then he joined along with his wife for another 8 weeks and now he is just running the diet on his own, he's done an amazing job." John started his business as he wanted to help people find a healthy and sustainable way to get fit, without wasting money of fad diets. He hopes that Luke's story will inspire others, just as Luke was inspired by David.
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