Dale Forrest, 36, was a serial snacker who admitted he would eat three takeaways a day and even have three pasties for lunch just because he was ‘greedy’
A former serial snacker who used to devour “three pasties a day” for lunch has shared his incredible journey of halving his body weight without the aid of slimming injections. Dale Forrest, 36, indulged in three takeaways daily, including his go-to lunchtime pasties, for a decade, which saw him tip the scales at a hefty 32st.
The office worker had previously managed to lose over 10st back in 2015, but his weight soared once more as he struggled with feelings of isolation and depression. Despite finding love with his now-wife Kat, 29, in 2021, and becoming a father to Bailey, three, and Tate, one, Dale’s weight continued to climb, peaking at his heaviest.
It wasn’t until after tying the knot in September last year that Dale began to seriously tackle his weight issue, spurred on by wedding photographs that left him dissatisfied with his appearance. Now, having shed an impressive 16 stone, the proud dad says his life has been transformed “changed for the better” and he’s determined to maintain his healthier weight “forever”.
Dale sai: “I did this the hard way, without the use of jabs or anything. Good old-fashioned exercise and diet got me here, no shortcuts.
“I like to downplay my achievement, but secretly I’m buzzing. I used to be so miserable, feeling guilty and living a lazy lifestyle, but now I’m as happy as ever and I can’t sit still.”
Reflecting on the moment of realisation, Dale confessed: “When I saw the wedding pictures, I thought I looked horrific and the first thing I said to my wife was I need to make a change. Not only has it had a positive impact on my family life now being able to play with my children but now I just feel better as a person.”
Following his dramatic weight loss over a decade ago – which saw him give up booze and weigh 14 stone – Dale piled the weight back on whilst battling mental health struggles.
He explained: “I was living alone in a studio apartment, all my mates had girlfriends, wives and kids and I was just lonely. I also didn’t like my job at the time. As soon as I put a little of weight back on, everything just spiraled.”
Dale revealed he would consume three takeaways daily, including a Greggs for breakfast and “three pasties” for lunch simply because he was “greedy”. Then for dinner he would demolish a pizza before heading to the pub for several pints.
At his peak, he tipped the scales at 32st and was squeezing into 6XL t-shirts. Dale met his wife Kat in 2021 and welcomed two children, breaking free from his isolation and boosting his mental wellbeing.
However, he only resolved to shed the pounds after “feeling embarrassed” about his appearance upon receiving his wedding photographs on September 17, 2024.
The father revealed: “As soon as I saw them, I just had to make a change. The first thing I did was bin all the snacks in the house so they weren’t there to tempt me. I then started my diet.”
For the initial month Dale restricted himself to a diet of 1,500 calories daily. He began tracking his calories and measuring portions to ensure accuracy.
He admitted: “I was so unhealthy to the extent that I couldn’t walk 100 metres before feeling tired. I wasn’t able to exercise until I had lost some initial weight.”
By the end of October, he had shed over two stone and already felt “feeling better”. He then incorporated walking into his routine, aiming for 10,000 steps daily to increase his stamina. It was in December, when he tipped the scales read 25st, that he decided to join the gym.
Dale confessed: “Going to the gym at that weight, even though I had done it before, was terrifying. I thought everyone was looking at me thinking ‘why is this guy here’. I was self-conscious of my body, but especially my legs.”
The father has shared that he began with cardio and light weights until he felt fit and strong enough to move forward. Dale continued shedding about a stone each month and now weighs in at 15st. He also said that he chose to do it without the aid of injections.
He explained: “I just didn’t feel the need to use them. I wanted to see what I could do naturally and what was possible. When the weight started dropping just through diet alone, it made me realise I could do it without support.”
Throughout his journey, Dale has been documenting his weight loss on his TikTok account ‘slimmeddowndale’, allowing him to monitor his progress and offer inspiration to others who might find themselves in a similar situation. Dale is still on track to lose another two stone, which he aims to achieve by the time of his charity boxing match at the Holiday Inn in Bolton on September 20. Dale expressed his pride in having managed to lose the weight once again.
He said: “I can now play with my children as before I used to tell them to play with their mum. It’s nice when they ask ‘daddy can you put me on your shoulders’ it makes me happy that I can be there for them.
“I’m now so energetic, I can’t sit still I always want to me doing something. It is the best decision I have ever made. I’m proof that anybody can lose weight no matter how heavy you are.”
Dale has since become a source of motivation and guidance for others embarking on their weight loss journeys, even accompanying them to the gym.