An obese man has lost more than 294 pounds which has helped him overcome coronavirus and find a partner.
Phil Kayes, 47, from Northern Ireland, has weighed 520.5 pounds at his biggest. But, after three years of nutritional re-education, he now weighs 226 pounds.
Kayes says that he was put into affection after his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He then started to change his habits and lifestyle, losing weight and meeting his partner Nicole Mulholand.
Kayes, a civil servant, believed that he would die alone and credits his slim size in finding a partner. He also believes that his weight loss saved his life after he tested positive for COVID-19.
Kayes was helped in his dramatic transformation by Slimming World, who recently crowned him their “Greatest Loser 2020.” The competition celebrates the person with the highest weight loss among the brand’s members.
“I was always bigger than my peers. I remember at school being called out by my PE teacher for being too big to play football”, he said. ““Mom was facing her fourth cancer battle which sadly turned out to be her last. I was also worried that if my mom did pass away, I wouldn’t be able to be one of her pallbearers, which was heartbreaking.”
When her mother died he had already lost 70 pounds. Now Kayes cycler every day, practices yoga and goes out with friends.
He met his partner Nicole on an online dating app. “By far the best thing that has happened to me since losing weight is meeting Nicole.”
