Nick Furlong, 45, from Surrey, weighed over 18st, but after he was sent into a panic following a horror incident at work and a health scare he vowed to make a change
Slimming World sensation Nick Furlong, 45, lost a staggering six stone following a terrifying incident at work and a worrying warning about his health. At 18st and 11lbs, Nick’s weight was severely impacting every aspect of his life, including his job as an RAC patrol manager.
“I’m a mechanic by trade and I’ve been in the industry for nearly 30 years. I work for the RAC managing a team of 43 patrols who attend hundreds of breakdowns every day,” Nick said. Recalling a horror ordeal at work, he revealed, “I no longer work at the roadside myself, and one of the reasons was because it was becoming such a struggle. I’d been known to get myself wedged under many a car while working and the physical side of the job was getting harder and harder.”
Before finding Slimming World, Nick admitted he was contemplating using weight loss drugs in a bid to shed some pounds, having struggled with his body image since his youth. “I was relatively slim until I hit my 20s. My weight crept up from there so, I’ve essentially lived most of my life overweight. I’ve tried all sorts of diets over the years – Keto, meal replacement shakes and even the baby food diet,” he recalled.
Adding, “I’d lose a bit of weight, but none of them were sustainable. I didn’t enjoy what I was eating and felt I was missing out, which led to me feeling depressed and eating even more, in a downward spiral. I was seriously contemplating weight loss drugs before starting Slimming World and I’m so glad I didn’t go down that route.”
When his youngest son Oscar was born in 2019, Nick began to really think about his future and how his weight would play a part in the father he wanted to be. A worrying health scare also gave Nick the nudge to seek help. He said, “I knew I wasn’t the youngest of dads, and my health wasn’t great either. I have been asthmatic all my lif,e and I hadn’t realised what a huge part my weight played in this. I decided to go for a routine check-up at the doctor’s and the results were eye-opening. I was diagnosed with being pre-diabetic, had high cholesterol and sleep apnoea too.”
This marked Nick’s Slimming World journey, and he joined his local group in Woodhatch, Surrey, with four of his close friends. “I was very sceptical at first. I was worried what being in a group was going to be like and that this would become something else I wasn’t able to stick with,” he shared. “But I was so wrong. My Wednesday night group is a highlight of my week. I soon realised that I didn’t have to miss out, I can still eat all my favourite foods and we can still eat together as a family. My Consultant Clare and the other members are so supportive.”
Nick, who lives with his wife Kerrie and two sons, Josh, 20, and Oscar, five, uses Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, which helps him make better choices when it comes to what he’s consuming. He said, “Clare helped me realise where my excess calories came from. I started planning my meals, so I didn’t make unhealthy decisions because I was hungry and in a rush. I prepared things to take to work with me and the other members in group gave me ideas to help me stay on track.”
Alongside his healthy eating, Nick incorporated more physical activity into his daily life through Slimming World’s support programme. “One of my reasons for joining a Slimming World group was because I wanted to be an active dad, to be able to run in the parent’s race at my son’s sports day to show him that you can give anything a go. Before losing weight, I’d avoid getting involved, and my weight kept me on the sidelines, but not now! There’s been nothing but positive effects from my weight loss on my family, which I love!” he shared.
“Being slimmer and having more energy encouraged me to get more active. I joined the gym with the same friends I joined Slimming World with, and I honestly love it. I never would have set foot in a gym when I was heavier. The simplest of tasks were a challenge before – I got out of breath just walking around the house. I’m a really active dad now, I enjoy long walks with the dogs and have even tried classes like spin and pilates. Slimming World has changed my life so much for the better.”
Nick has triumphantly lost a staggering 6st and is in a much better place, both physically and mentally. “I feel more organised and focused throughout the day and feel I can give better support to the team that I look after”, he said. “With my new positive mindset and drive to improve myself, I’ve enrolled in a team leader course that will provide a qualification at the end. My mental health and focus have all improved so much since I started my journey and feel like I’m the best possible version of me.”