Man shares incredible transformation after losing 420 pounds and becoming a personal trainer
A man lost an astonishing 30 stone, and has now become a personal trainer and bodybuilder after his incredible transformation.
Jack Ako, 29, had been eating around 10,000 calories a day before he started making changes, but revealed that he 'got sick' of looking at himself in the mirror, and became worried for how his weight was going to affect his health.
“I was embarrassed by my size, and at times I didn’t know how much longer I had to live," he said.
“I was told by doctors that there was a five-year waiting lists for help, but to be honest I didn’t think I would survive that long."
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Jack, from Wakefield in the UK, had a private procedure to have a gastric band fitted, and started to change the way he eats and exercising, trying to both lose fat and build muscle at the same time.
And it has clearly worked, with Jack dropping from 47 stone to 16.5 stone over the course of four years, including an impressive 15 stone in one year alone.
Jack shared how the weight loss has affected his life, not just in how he looks, but in what he is capable of doing as well.
“I’ve gone from not being able to walk up stairs to running 5kms easily and lifting heavy weights," he said.
Jack now works as a personal trainer, and has also entered a bodybuilding tournament where he hopes to be an inspiration to others, saying: “I’m living proof that no matter how big you are, you can become the person you want to be.”
Jack said that he was always a 'big lad', and that he was 'always the biggest kid in school', when he turned 18 and stopped being active was when he started to gain weight.
He explained that he got a job running a bookies, a sedentary job, and that while he was working there his diet got worse.
“Before setting off for work I would have some toast at home with my family," he said. “But before I would get to the office, I would stop off at Greg’s and get two breakfast sandwiches.
“Then I would have my packed lunch, but then I would also nip out and get either fast food or a meal deal. And before coming home I would grab a pizza or KFC and then have my tea."
He added that the job required him to be sitting still a lot, saying: "I would then be sat behind a computer all day watching TV or gambling - it wasn’t a good environment. I was eating around 10,000 calories a day easily while doing minimal exercise."
When he was 25 years old Jack weighed 46.8 stone, saying that his family and friends had started to become 'worried' about his weight.
After finding out about NHS waiting lists Jack flew out to Turkey for private gastric band surgery in April 2022, saying that although he was still eating an unhealthy diet he was 'was eating a lot less', and this was an important first step.
In 2024, after 18 months, he had already lost a lot of weight, dropping to 27 stone, saying: “I thought to myself I have come this far, lets see how far I can take it.
“I started researching nutrition and the gym and how I could become healthy for myself.”
Since then Jack has dropped to around 16 stone, also thanking his wife for encouraging him and helping to cook his meals.
“Sometimes I feel annoyed that I have wasted 10 years of my life being that size," he said. “But to get into shape, this isn’t a secret exercise or diet – it is about winning each day. It is about being consistent and being there for yourself."
Topics: UK News, Health, Weight loss
Kit Roberts