I ballooned to 20st and had a £3,000-a-year McDonald's habit - here's how I lost half my body weight WITHOUT Mounjaro

Daily Mail​

5 days ago

A man who ballooned to 20 stone after bingeing on takeaways and three litres of Coke a day has halved his body weight in one year - without weight loss drugs.
Joshua Hilton, 31, from Wiltshire, now weighs 10 stone despite, at one time in his life, spending £3,000-a-year on McDonald's and picking 'comfort food' over his family.
The self-employed hairdresser exclusively told the Daily Mail that he tried every 'fad diet' under the sun, including drinking one protein shake a day and downing fat loss capsules, to shed the kilos.
None of it worked and instead Joshua found himself gorging daily on crisps, chocolate, and cake, before polishing them all off with McDonald's or a Chinese takeaway.
Joshua says the turning point came when he discovered the calorie deficit concept - consuming fewer calories than your body burns - which he says has left him so lean, people don't believe he's lost weight the 'natural' way.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he recalled: 'From a young age I've always been greedy and always loved food.
'I have always struggled with my weight. I would go as far as to say that food is my life. I love food, more than I love my family. As a child, I would eat secretly and hide packets beside my bed.
'I would open two packets of crisps and put them into one and hide the other wrapper so it only looked like I had one. Crafty I know! I remember playing out with my friends and coming home for pit stops to eat tablespoons of sugar straight out of the bag.
'As I got into my teens, my weight gain really started. I was fat, in the closet and miserable. Food was my vice. Food was my comfort. As I got into adulthood and got my first job, I became aware of dieting fully and from there tried every fad diet going.
'I remember having one protein shake a day and "fat burning capsules". I had also tried Slimming World several times... I have starved myself, I have done keto, juice plus, the Cambridge diet etc. I've done it all'.
Joshua says things became extreme eight years ago when he began binge eating and piling on weight 'on and off'.
In adulthood, his daily diet descended to include calorific foods like fry ups, crisps, chocolate, sweets and cream cakes, all of which he said he'd eat until he fell asleep.
'I was consuming three litres of full sugar cola a day,' continued Joshua. 'On days I didn't cook, it would be a takeaway, sometimes two - Chinese, Indian, kebabs. I had days where I would visit McDonald's twice, then polish it off with a KFC.
'I was shell shocked when it became apparent that I had spent the best part of £6,000 on McDonald's alone in a two-year bracket'.
Joshua says things got worse; after calculating the total he'd spent on takeaways and snacks in two years, he learned he'd lavished £10,000 - 'the same as a house deposit'.
He continued: 'But instead, I was as big as a house. The yo-yo dieting carried on all throughout lockdown and beyond. My skin was bad, I was ungroomed, unhappy, depressed, anxious and ashamed'.
Joshua said his body expanded so much that he was forced to park at end bays in car parks, so that he would have enough space to get in and out of his car.
While he drove, his stomach 'rolled over' the steering wheel, leaving him in a perpetual state of discomfort.
In turn, he felt down and resorted to spending his days solely eating and sleeping. Joshua reflected on the singular moment last year that brought his food addiction to a grinding halt.
'In November 2024 I saw a photo of me at my work' Christmas do and genuinely had to take a second look,' he said. 'That can't be me.. but it was. I didn't like photos of me so a side angle picture in all its glory was upsetting.
'January 1st 2024 I vowed to myself that this time I was going to lose weight, become healthier and fitter'.
He explained that it wasn't the typical 'new year, new me' trope - one that he'd recited aloud for the past 13 years - but instead an 'epiphany, a surge of "I'm doing this and if I fail again then I will just be fat forever and admit defeat"'.
Joshua took it upon himself to thoroughly research the diet industry, which included a run of books, TikTok videos, and conversations with real people.
It was here that he discovered a concept that would change his life forever.
'I came across what a calorie deficit is,' said Joshua. 'I knew what calorie counting was but was still naive to how it actually worked. I found a calculator which works your personal deficit out and with my research I finally understood that no foods make you fat, it's the amount of it'.
A calorie deficit works by eating fewer calories than your body burns, leading to weight loss as your body uses stored fat for energy.
When a person has a calorie surplus, the extra energy is stored as either fat or muscle - leading to weight gain.
Joshua said what worked for him this time around was eating 'whatever you want', as long as it was within his daily calorie limit. He also swapped cola for water, opting to drink three to four litres a day.
'As long as you stick to your calorie deficit, you will lose weight,' he explained. 'So instead of going cold turkey, I still had cake, I still ate out, but I prioritised protein, fruit, vegetables and fibre to keep me fuller for longer.
'Using the deficit to my advantage meant lower calorie foods - so more food to eat as opposed to a small higher calorie snack.'
Aside from a few 'wobbles' along the way, Joshua credits a calorie deficit for changing his life: 'I'm living proof it can work'.
The hair expert said his weight loss journey inspired him to help others through TikTok, where he has gained almost 30,000 followers and millions of views.
There he saw himself in his followers 'people who thought they were alone' - said Joshua. 'People who also loathed themselves for their food addiction'.
Joshua recalled his exact measurements before and after the weight loss; he went from a 2XXL to an XS and from a 48inch waist to a 28inch waist.
However, the dramatic change has brought about prying eyes and unkind comments, with some people going as far as accusing him of having weight loss surgery.
'Since losing weight some people have not been so kind. People tell me I've lost too much, that I've gone too far.
'Ironically, the people who say these negative things are big themselves! They must just be insecure. I do get it though. I do understand. Maybe people just care.
'People are quick to assume I've had surgery, like having a [gastric] sleeve done in Turkey. I understand why people go for this procedure, but the way it's advertised is shocking.
'A free hotel stay after and luxury transport included - it's being glamorised. You can get one offered on Facebook for £1,500 - it's scary! Why can't people be happy for someone's hard work and success?'
Today, Joshua says he works on maintaining his current weight by adhering to a calorie deficit and going on walks, with no vigorous exercise needed.
He continued: 'I am proud of myself and I feel a million times better but you know what? I still wake up each morning feeling like I'm 20 stone.
'I still mentally feel huge. It's a battle. I don't think I'll truly ever be happy but who is?'
Recalling his weight loss journey made Joshua emotional, but on the bright side he added: 'My skin is glowing and my mental health is better.'