West Midlands man, 45, loses 17st - after weighing almost 30st

A West Midlands man, who weighed almost 30 stone, has lost 17 stone by walking. 

Steven Duffield, 45, weighed 28.1st (178.7kg), and could only wear 5XL American football shirts.

Steven decided to take action in 2022 after he took his nephews to a Boxing Day football match but got stuck in the turnstiles. 

He had also previously been told he was too heavy for the scales at his GP practice and his BMI (Body Mass Index) was 59.2. 

Steven started walking every day, beginning with a short stroll to the end of the road but steadily built up to cover more than 25 miles a day. 

He also swapped fatty foods for healthy dishes like chicken and rice with vegetables and tried intermittent fasting. 

He gave up alcohol and explored different eating options including the keto diet which is popular with celebrities. 

In just one year, Steven lost 13st (83kg) and has now shed a further 4st (25.4kg) to weigh 11st. 

Steven, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, who runs a social media consultation agency, said: “I had suffered a mental breakdown and lost both my parents a few years apart and I was in a bad place. 

“I was also put on an antipsychotic drug which I later found out slowed my metabolism while also increasing my hunger and thirst.  

“Because I was lonely I would wake up hungover and go straight to the pub and would drink and eat from lunchtime until closing. 

“I would be drinking between 12 and 14 pints and then order an Indian takeaway.  

“I’d go to bed and then wake up and just repeat the whole cycle again.

“I knew I had to make a change and only I could do it so I made a plan and simply started walking. 

“At first I walked to the end of the road and back but I logged it on a fitness app and I just built up the miles from there.  

“Because I was so heavy, the weight actually came off quite quickly to start with.  

“While I walked I listened to podcasts about losing weight and how to stay healthy. I started experimenting with diets and fasting. 

“It wasn’t as simple as move more, eat less. It was about understanding what your body needs and just keeping things simple and go day by day.” 

Steven is now aiming to walk the equivalent of the Sahara Desert for charity. 

He has set himself the challenge of clocking up 1,880 miles by October in aid of Acorns Children’s Hospice. 

The charity cares for his 11-year-old niece Meggie who suffers from Trisomy 9 mosaic syndrome, a rare and life-limiting chromosome disorder.

You can donate to Steven’s fundraiser here.

When life is difficult, Samaritans can be contacted day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.