Morbidly obese man didn't eat food for more than a year in experiment to see how quickly he could lose weight
Weight loss fads have been around since forever as many people vie for a slimmer figure.
But how much weight can you realistically lose before it causes damage?
Apparently, it’s a lot, and one man went on to show that a hundred pounds was a walk in the park thanks to his extreme dedication.
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Now, you’ve probably heard of fasting and it generally lasts a couple of days or hours (if you’re intermittently fasting), but what about fasting for a whole year?
Well, a Scottish man decided to attempt the most challenging feat by embarking on a 382-day fast to lose weight.
Angus Barbieri made a decision which would change his whole life in June 1965.
According to History Defined, he wanted to overcome his food addiction and shed his weight as he was morbidly obese.
Defying the naysayers and even what many believe the human body and mind can withstand, he went ahead with his plans and even managed to lose a remarkable amount.
Barbieri used to work at his father's fish-and-chips shop and weighed 456 pounds by the age of 27 before admitting himself to the Royal Infirmary of Dundee in Scotland to undergo a short fast to shift some weight.
It was then that he would continue to fast for 382 days.
During this time, he wouldn’t eat a morsel of food as solid food was a no-no.
Instead, he could only drink yeast, vitamins, electrolytes, black coffee, sparkling water, and tea.
Yuck.
How many calories do you reckon he was consuming?
It was close to zero!
According to reports, he was shedding 22 pounds per month - nearly a pound per day - which meant that he was continuously losing weight at a rapid pace.
The agreement with Maryfield Hospital, which was aiding him in his diet, would allow him to come and go but would require doctors to follow him outside of the hospital to oversee his diet.
But it wasn’t all swings and roundabouts, as Barbieri ended up having to quit his job at his dad’s shop as to stay away from the tempting fish and chips.
Initially, his goal was to lose 180 pounds, but on 11 July 1966, he completely surpassed his goal and lost a remarkable 276 pounds.
To celebrate, he ended his fast with a piece of bread and butter and a boiled egg. Yum.
He told the press: “It went down okay. I feel a bit full, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
His journey was so unique that the University of Dundee conducted a study on him to examine the effects of long-term fasting on the body which was published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal in 1973.
Reddit found the story and the comments were particularly interested in his cause of death in 1990. However, no cause can be found in the media.
Nevertheless, everyone was in awe over his transformation.
One person wrote: “Wow---went from 456 to 181lbs! That was before skin removal surgery. Dude must have looked like a flying squirrel afterward.”
Another commented: “He had incredible determination. He totally conquered his eating addiction. Respect!”
Topics: Health, Food And Drink
Britt Jones