James 'Arg' Argent has revealed the secrets behind his incredible 13 stone weight loss.
The 34-year-old decided to have gastric sleeve surgery after being told that if he caught Covid-19 he would struggle to pull through due to his weight ballooning to the heaviest of his life: 27 stone.
Following the surgery - which he forked out £10,000 for - The Only Way Is Essex star explained how he's had to adopt a new way of doing things and remains adamant that the sleeve wasn't a 'quick fix'.
Speaking about his binge-eating disorder that spiralled during the coronavirus lockdown he told The Mirror: "My whole day revolved around it – when was my next meal.
"I’d start off with a big full English breakfast, then throughout the day I’d have fizzy drinks, chocolate, chewy sweets and crisps. For lunch and dinner I’d have takeaways. I was bingeing on bad food from the moment I woke up.”
From there, he opted to have the operation which would involve having 70 percent of his stomach removed.
Some people have criticised the sleeve, calling it a quick fix but Arg says it's anything but that explaining: "I enjoy food so to commit to a lifetime operation was a big thing for me."
Now he has revealed what a typical day of eating consists of, telling the publication: "I don’t usually feel peckish between breakfast and lunch, but if I do or I’ve been exercising and need energy, I have a banana.
“For lunch, I have a chicken or fish salad, or a multigrain soup or a spicy chicken one.
“Dinner can be anything from small portions of my mum’s chilli con carne to some paella or pasta. In terms of snacks, I’ll usually have some nuts or some popcorn.
“I can digest most things but I have to eat food the size of a 20p, chew it for 20 seconds, wait for 20 seconds and do that again so I don’t get sick.”
On top of the healthy eating, he is also training with close friend and former TOWIE star Mark Wright and his brother Josh who are encouraging him to exercise.
Taking to Instagram a few days ago, he wrote: "I can honestly say that it was the best decision I've ever made. It spurred me on to be serious about my eating habits and exercise.
"Since my surgery, I’ve followed the advice from the team at Transform Hospital Group and stuck to a healthy diet with smaller portion sizes. I’ve also been training in the gym to make my body stronger. That swim across the English Channel is still on the cards."
He went on to add: "I’d like to thank everyone who has helped me on my weight loss journey. When I look in the mirror, I’m finally happy with the man looking back at me."
Go on, fella.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/real_argTopics: TV and Film, Celebrity
Rebecca Shepherd