A chef who once tipped the scales at a hefty 35 stone has revealed how he managed to shed an impressive 15 stone in just over a year by eating only one big meal a day. Simon Parnell, 42, found it difficult to resist indulging in crisps, pastries and fizzy drinks, but decided to make a change when he realised his work shifts were leaving him with swollen legs and extreme pain the following day.
Initially considering gastric band surgery, Simon was deterred by the two-year waiting list and instead opted for a natural approach. He joined his mate, Ben Turner, also 42, for a morning walk and the pair committed to meeting each day at 6am for their exercise routine.
Simon began fasting and swapped his unhealthy diet for wholesome home-cooked meals like chicken and vegetables. To his surprise, the weight started to drop off and he now weighs a much healthier 19st 11lbs and wears a size 2XL.
He says he “feels like a million dollars” and his 14 year old daughter, Hatty, couldn’t be prouder.
Reflecting on his journey, the St Margaret’s, Kent resident said: “My weight had got worse and worse.”, reports Kent Live.
He added: “I’d got really big over time and found it hard to do everything, from putting on my socks to going out to work. I became completely dedicated to walking. I started walking every day, and was gradually able to walk further and faster. Now I feel something so unimaginable, so happy, so healthy, this is what I’ve wanted all my life.”
“I’ve dreamed and pictured this and I’m living my best life. I’ve waited a life time to get where I am, even though I haven’t finished. My daughter thought I wouldn’t get as far as I have done – she is so so proud of me and has talked about it so many times.”
Simon had always struggled with his weight and would eat four slices of toast every morning, binge on unhealthy snacks throughout the day, and go through a few bottles of beer every evening. His favourite foods were meal deals, sweets, chocolates and fizzy drinks.
He said: “My car would just be filled with at least half a black sack worth of wrappers each week. “I’d just end up in a complete hole.
“At the end of the day, I just couldn’t move – my body was in shut down.”
Simon’s work as a chef required him to stand for long periods of time but he could barely get through a shift without sitting down a lot throughout the day.
He also often ended the day with swollen legs and would be in pain the whole next day. Simon said: “I was worried about my health.”
“I wasn’t happy with how I looked and I thought gastric surgery was the only way to lose weight. However, when I was told how long the wait for hospital bed space was, I made the decision to start my own weight loss journey.”
In January 2023, Simon’s mate, Ben, asked him to join for an early morning stroll. They rendezvoused at 6am and covered a distance of three kilometres – a feat that left Simon feeling “knackered”.
The pair made a commitment to meet at the same spot every morning for a month for their walk – come rain or shine. Alongside his daily walks, Simon adopted a fasting routine – consuming one meal each day at 5pm. He said: “It was just a complete mindset shift.”
“It was a struggle at first but I feel I really trained my brain over time. Before I started fasting, when I had breakfast each morning, it just set me off and I wanted to eat all the time. I have so much more control now.”
Simon adhered to a fasting routine consistently for three to four months.
His solitary meal a day would comprise mixed nuts, some form of protein – typically chicken or fish – lentils, a heap of vegetables or salad, and then some berries and yoghurt for dessert. He still maintains this routine but has managed to include more foods into his diet as he knows he now possesses the mental fortitude to stay on course.
For a period, Simon felt too self-conscious to step foot in the gym – but eight months into his weight loss journey, he mustered up the courage to give it a go. A local personal trainer, Dave Pilcher, assisted him in easing into a gym routine and he now frequents the gym regularly.
Simon bravely revealed: “As a fat person it’s your worse nightmare to go in the gym as you think everyone is watching you and talking but really they are not,” adding that Dave’s training methods transformed his dread into eagerness. “It’s amazing how quickly your mind changes from not wanting to go in, being your worse nightmare, to actually you can’t wait to get in there and be the most confident person there.”
Now clocking up a daily average of 25,000 steps and currently at 19st 1lbs, Simon has his sights set on reaching 15st. He explained his current routine: “I still fast and walk now and I also go to the gym. I do aqua aerobics and I try to swim a mile five times a week.”
Simon documents his weight loss progress on TikTok under the handle @weightlossjourneybigsi and shares his future aspirations, noting: “Once he reaches his goal weight, Simon wants to challenge himself further – he wants to swim the channel and begin mountain climbing. I want to help people who are in a similar position I was in.”
Reflecting on his nutritional overhaul, Simon’s menu shift is drastic: Before his transformation, a typical day’s cuisine would include at least four buttered slices of toast for breakfast; meal deal sandwiches accompanied by crisps, chocolate, and fizzy drinks for lunch; meat and carb-heavy dinners with beer; and snacks like beer, crisps, chocolates, sweets, and pastries.
Post-change, Simon skips breakfast and lunch and savours a dinner loaded with mountains of veggies or salad, chicken, beef or fish, lentils, and berries with yoghurt for dessert; his snacking habits now involve mixed nuts and berries.
