Tom loses five stone after ditching Lucozade for breakfast

Teaching Assistant, Tom Webster has shed five stones by swapping junk for the gym and preparing his weekly meals in advance.

The 22-year-old from Methley prepares all his meals for the week ahead on Sundays so he can control portion sizes and ensure he doesn’t over-eat.

At his heaviest, Tom weighed 16 stone and said his unhealthy eating habits started while he was studying English at Huddersfield University, surviving on a diet of takeaways and drinking too much alcohol.

“I was out almost every night and because I lived in a shared student house, we ordered chinese or Indian takeaways most nights.

“I used to have cereal for breakfast but washed down with a big bottle of Lucozade followed by huge portions of pizza or pasta later in the day.

“If I felt hungry at 11pm I’d eat whatever I could find in the fridge.

“I didn’t do any exercise so the pounds piled on, but the amount of weight I’d gained didn’t really hit home until I saw a photo of myself on a night out,” he said.

During his second year at university, Tom moved back home and decided to take control of his eating habits. He ditched the energy drinks and takeaways for three healthy meals a day and within two weeks had lost 9lbs.

To help his weight loss he joined Iveridge Health Club in Oulton and took up thai boxing and weight training.

“The sessions meant I lost weight but toned up at the same time,” he explained.

“I am now into the nutrition side of things too and I prepare all my meals on a Sunday for the rest of the week. It means I don’t overeat.”

Tom, who is 5ft 10ins, now weighs just over 11st and says he has never felt better.

“Whenever I feel my old habits creeping in I go straight to the gym because that gives me the buzz I used to get from food.

“I go everyday except Sunday and I enjoy treats at the weekend now without feeling guilty. I feel like a totally different person and I have never felt better about myself.

Having a ‘food prep’ day has become a recognised way to ensure healthy eating throughout the week and control the amount eaten for each meal.

It consists of planning a week’s meals and snacks in advance and spending one afternoon - usually Sunday - getting everything ready for the week ahead. Meals and snacks are then ready for a busy week ahead.