Aussie dad's insane 44kg coronavirus lockdown transformation

A dad who thought he might not live to celebrate Christmas with his kids has lost 44kg in just five months.

Back in April, loving husband and father John Walker, from Brisbane, had reached his heaviest weight of 140kg while his wardrobe was full of 5XL shirts and size 44in pants.

While he had been overweight most of his adult life, the 48-year-old said earlier this year he began feeling a constant soreness around his chest paired with shortness of breath.

Frightened that he might not even make it to celebrate another Christmas, John decided to make a drastic change to save his life.

John Walker, from Brisbane
In April, loving husband and father John Walker, from Brisbane, had reached his heaviest weight of 140kg while his wardrobe was full of 5XL shirts and size 44in pants. Photo: Caters News

Astoundingly, the inspirational dad managed to drop an incredible 44kg in just 22 weeks during lockdown – and now feels healthier and more confident than ever.

“In my late teens and twenties I enjoyed having an occasional ‘more than a few drinks’ which increased in frequency over the years,” the piano technician said.

“Then in 2003, following the death of a very close sister, I suffered extreme depression and my drinking slowly increased more, causing health problems and huge weight gain.

“I suffered from a litany of crippling pains and aches from pre-existing conditions such as Scheuermann's disease, kidney pains as well as poor circulation through my legs and feet.

“This would cause me to frequently lose my footing, hobbling for substantial periods of time until it finally settled.

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Ultimately, what frightened John the most was the daily feeling of constant soreness around his heart area, paired with shortness of breath when he was lying down.

“I started to wonder if I'd see another Christmas or maybe even a few weeks,” he said.

“I knew then without a doubt I needed to make a dramatic change in my life.”

After trying different diets throughout the years, the dad never has great success with slimming down.

Man who lost weight during coronavirus lockdown standing with his dog
John lost an incredible 44kg during coronavirus lockdown. Photo: Caters News

But after going on Dr Siegal’s Cookie Diet in April this year, he claims he overhauled his diet.

John replaced his usual takeaways, biscuit and milkshake habits with healthy meals full of lean protein, fresh vegetables and Dr Siegal’s cookies.

And after losing a whopping 9kg in the first nine days, John said he was hooked – and in just 22 weeks, the dad has dropped a massive 44kg.

“I was so happy and excited, I began wanting to do everything I could to aid and assist the diet further,” he said.

“I dramatically increased my daily exercise, stayed hydrated as instructed and after a little research, I religiously began including a daily glass of water with apple cider vinegar and a daily glass of water with a little fresh lemon juice.

“I also began to eat vegetarian three times a week for my evening meal.”

John said he feels healthier than ever and is no longer worried about his health – instead, is looking forward to a long life making memories with his family.

“Now that I've lost the bulk of my weight, a majority of the pain that would lead to sleepless nights and hard walks are gone,” he said.

“I feel twice as fit and strong as I did at 21 years old.

“My wife also noticed that I have many new baby hairs growing over my small bald patch up top, I believe this may be due to better circulation.

“I’m no longer worried about my health – never looking back now.”

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