A man who weighed 31 stone has lost half of his body weight after doctors warned him he was at risk of losing one of his feet if he didn't slim down.
George Middleton, 31, was chowing down on around 10,000 calories a day, with regular trips to McDonald's where he would order a quarter-pounder, double cheeseburger, single cheeseburger, large fries, large milkshake and two apple pies, washed down with around four litres of cola.
As well as regular trips to McDonald's and other fast-food outlets, he says he also binge ate crisps, sometimes as many as 24 packs of Monster Munch in a day.
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In all, George was eating around five times as many calories recommended for a man of his age.
His unhealthy diet lead to a number of health issues, including high blood pressure, sleep apnoea and mental health problems. His GP warned him that increased body weight was putting him at risk of type II diabetes and even potentially losing a foot.
Law graduate George said: "I was sat down by my doctor, who said 'Do you like having two feet?' After I said yes, she then told me I was in danger of losing a foot if I didn't do something about my weight.
"That was the wake-up call for me."
Faced with that harsh reality, George decided to completely overhaul his diet and began walking five miles every day around the village of Netley Abbey in Hampshire, where he lives.
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It took George just two years to drop 16st, thanks to his new regime, and he now plans to become a personal trainer so he can inspire others in a similar situation.
Opening up about how he piled on the pounds, George said he increasingly turned to food after leaving university and feeling 'quite lost, like a lot of men in their early to mid 20s'.
"I wanted to be a lawyer from the age of five," he said.
"I loved the law and my education, but university can be a bit of a bubble and I struggled with the realities of the world afterwards.
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"It's an age when suicide among men is shockingly prevalent and I could've fitted into that box."
While struggling with career choices he took comfort in food, but it wasn't long before he found he could no longer shop for clothes on the high street or even weigh himself using conventional scales.
As his weight crept up, George's confidence nose-dived, and he began to avoid going out which had a massive impact on his friendships.
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He said: "I lost a lot of my friends.
"I was invited to things and would never go. I didn't go to my sister's or my best friend's wedding.
"I saw a photo of myself posted on Facebook and I was so ashamed of my size that I couldn't go to the stag do or weddings.
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"I must have been quite a scary sight for people - people wouldn't look at me. I was a recluse for six to seven years."
Realising enough was enough, George says he turned to celebrities he admired to inspire him, including Will Smith and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.
He was also given a FitBit by his sister, which he used to track his daily step count, and started walking for around two-hours a day as well as cutting out unhealthy food and tucking into fruits, vegetables and lean meat.
While embarking on his health journey, George met his partner Heather, 27, at a wedding he would previously been to self-conscious to attend.
He now gives talks in schools and hopes to start diploma in personal training.
He added: "I want to help other people. It's my aim to find someone who was like me and get them fighting fit like I am now.
"I know what it's like to feel immobile."
Offering advice to others in a similar situation, he said: "Don't look to build the wall, just lay one brick at a time, there's no point looking at the goal, you've just got to know where you're going.
"Do something - walking, yoga, cycling. As soon as you start doing something you start to build momentum."
Featured Image Credit: Solent News and Photo AgencyTopics: Inspirational, UK