Father-of-four sheds five stone in 10 MONTHS and still enjoys a fry up

Father sheds 5st in 10 MONTHS on the keto diet after his 17st frame meant he struggled to play with his children – and he still eats fry ups for breakfast

• Karl West, 37, of Wrexham, North Wales, inspired by Tyson Fury to take up diet
• Was waking up twice a week due to  sleep apnoea as result of his excess weight
• Felt depressed and in a rut so he hit the gym and swapped onto the keto diet
• Within a few months of starting keto, Karl’s weight had dropped to 13st 12lbs
• As part of new diet Karl has kicked love of sugar and carbs but still eats fry ups

A father-of-four went from dad bod to buff after shedding more than five stone in just 10 months, making him look a decade younger.

At the turn of the new year Karl West, 37, couldn’t play with his kids because his bulging 16st 12lbs frame meant he got tired out too quickly.

On top of this Karl, who wore size 38 inch waist trousers, was waking up twice a week unable to breathe due to sleep apnoea, a dangerous condition which his doctor said could be linked to his surplus weight.

In January married Karl, from Wrexham, North Wales, took up the keto diet after hearing that Tyson Fury used it to shed the pounds – and was amazed when five stone dropped off in 10 months.

Father-of-four Karl West went from dad bod (left) to buff (right) after shedding more than five stone in just 10 months, making him look a decade younger

By swapping fast food for keto cakes and lifting weights in the gym four times a week, Karl managed to hone his flabby physique into a muscular figure a bodybuilder would be proud of – while still being able to scoff bacon, sausages, cheese and mayo.

Now his kids Hollie 11, Tetan, 10, and, Carson, six, struggle to keep up with their dad and his boundless energy.

Psychology student Karl said: ‘In December last year, I weighed 16st 12lbs and knew I needed to change – I would have ended up over 17 stone.

‘I was also suffering from depression and was really in a rut. I thought if my mental state was going to improve I would have to improve my fitness.

At the turn of the new year Karl couldn’t play with his kids because his bulging 16st 12lbs frame meant he got tired out too quickly

Karl, pictured before his weight loss with his son, took up the keto diet after hearing that Tyson Fury used it to shed the pounds – and was amazed when five stone dropped off in 10 months

‘I decided to do keto because I follow boxing and knew Tyson Fury had used it to lose a few stone, so thought I would give it a try.

‘Now, having lost five stone in 10 months, I feel like the weight loss has taken 10 years off me.

‘My life has changed for the better. Before I felt so old, I got really lethargic and tired, but now I’m young again. I play five aside football and can run around with my kids.

Now Karl’s kids Hollie 11, Tetan, 10, and, Carson, six, struggle to keep up with their dad and his boundless energy

Karl, pictured before and after his weight loss, says his life has definitely changed for the better

‘Last year playing around the house I felt that I couldn’t join in, but now it’s the children that can’t keep up with me.’

Karl used to work out when he was younger, but working 12-hour shifts in a factory while trying to look after this kids meant he went seven years without entering a gym.

The dad said this, combined with a slowing metabolism as he got older and an addiction to pasties and battered chicken takeaways, made it harder to prevent the pounds piling on.

By swapping fast food for keto cakes and lifting weights in the gym four times a week, Karl managed to hone his flabby physique into a muscular figure a bodybuilder would be proud of

Karl, pictured with an old pair of shorts, said keto cakes – where no flour is used and ground almond and coco is used as a sweetener – made by wife Nicola, 40, a psychology student and mum-of-six, helped him kick his sugar cravings at the start

But within a few months of starting keto, Karl’s weight had dropped to 13st 12lbs and he had the confidence to begin exercising alone in his home, doing ab workouts.

He swapped his love of white bread and pasta for high fat, low carb meals heavy on cream, lard and cheese, and snacks such as pork scratchings and pickled eggs.

Karl later joined a gym and began weight training again, with full body workouts four times a week and ab workouts every day until he had honed a muscular physique.

KARL’S DAILY DIET: BEFORE 

Breakfast: Full English fry up cooked in vegetable oil or rounds of toast.

Lunch: White bread sandwiches, pasties, crisps and chocolate.

Dinner: Battered chicken, or carb-heavy meals of pasta, rice or potatoes.

He said: ‘Before I lost weight I was having sleep apnoea – I would wake up a few times unable to breathe and my GP said it was related to my weight.

‘It was a trigger point, they say it can be quite dangerous. 

KARL’S DAILY DIET: NOW 

Breakfast: Eggs, bacon and healthy chipolata pork sausages.

Lunch: Healthy fats like avocado, macadamia nuts and almonds, mature cheddar cheese, and chicken and vegetables cooked in duck fat or lard and served with full fat cream or mayonnaise.

Dinner: Chicken, pork or lamb with vegetables grown above ground or salad, and ground almond keto bread

Snacks: Pork scratchings, nuts and full fat cream, pickled eggs, Pepperamis, cheese

Drinks: Unsweetened almond milk, black coffee, water

‘From the age of 16 to 25 I was quite healthy, I was going to the gym, but eight years doing 12 hour shifts in a factory to put food on the table meant I didn’t take care of myself.’

Karl said keto cakes – where no flour is used and ground almond and coco is used as a sweetener – made by wife Nicola, 40, a psychology student and mum-of-six, helped him kick his sugar cravings at the start.

As part of the new diet he has kicked his love of sugar and carbs, but is still able to enjoy fry up breakfasts containing bacon and chipolata sausages.

Karl, who is now a psychology student at Glyndwr University, said: ‘At the start it was very difficult because I got sugar cravings.

‘But I find that food has a better taste to it now, I can appreciate it more on my taste buds.

‘When I look back to the last couple of years I wasn’t really thinking about what I was eating.

‘My wife and I have always been really close but I don’t think I’d have been able to do it without her.

‘I’ve also been surprised at how nice people have been, everyone has been so encouraging.’ 

Karl said everyone has been really encouraging and admitted he couldn’t have done it without his wife Nicola

What is the Keto diet and how does it work?

The Keto diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat plan, and is quite similar to the Atkins diet.

Those on it are required to cut the amount of calories they consume by a significant amount, while eating plenty of fatty foods like fish, meat and eggs.

Some people on the diet also drink ‘bulletproof coffee’ – black coffee with ghee (clarified butter), which helps to stop them from getting hungry during the day.

The diet works by effectively starving the body of carbohydrates – the main source of stored energy.

When this happens, the body burns fat for energy instead. 

It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain.

Ketogenic diets can cause massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels – helping to reverse Type 2 diabetes. 

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