When doctors told Darren McClintock that he was ‘eating himself to death,’ McClintock’s personal trainer, Mike Hind, decided to do the unthinkable.
Hind gave flyers to all of 27-year-old McClintock’s regular fast-food stores in their hometown of Middlesbrough. The flyer featured a photo of himself and McClintock.
“Save Dibsy,” it reads in large letters, referring to McClintock’s nickname.
“Obesity is Killing Him. Do Not Serve This Man.”
Don’t feed Dibsy’ Takeaways told to REFUSE to serve obese man amid fears he could die https://t.co/BopTkmxWHv pic.twitter.com/WujoxjWy5y
— Daily Star (@Daily_Star) October 12, 2018
The plan appears to be working. McClintock has lost almost 2 stone (12.7 kg) within a week of working together with Hind under the takeaway food ban, ITV News reported Oct. 12.
30-stone Dibsy has lost nearly 2st in less than a week after his personal trainer banned local takeaways from serving him.
Could new government guidelines on shrinking the size of pizza and pies prove as successful?
Read more: https://t.co/JJa6febbXV pic.twitter.com/xGn0lFGQnU
— ITV News (@itvnews) October 12, 2018
McClintock received his wake-up call when he was recently hospitalised for heart problems, which he attributes to his regular diet of “pies, pastries, crisps and chips.” He said he could have died.
McClintock said his mother’s reaction upon hearing about what the doctors said moved him to change his life.
“The doctor asked me if I want to live a long life, and said I can’t go on the way I am or I’d be dead before too long,” McClintock said, according to LADbible.
“Seeing my mum’s reaction to it all was heartbreaking, if it wasn’t for that I might never have changed,” McClintock continued.
“Now I need to face up to my problem and tackle it head on, it’s now or never,” he said.
While some reports said McClintock refused to disclose his weight, ITV News said he is about 30 stone (190 kg or 420 pounds). McClintock is so large he currently has to have clothes specially made, and takes up two seats on the plane, according to the Daily Star.
Following a health scare Darren, known to his family as Dibsy, was told to urgently change his habits.
He has now teamed up with a personal trainer – who's banned him from his local takeaways in #Middlesbrough pic.twitter.com/W6UyyTqeFz
— ITV News Tyne Tees (@itvtynetees) October 12, 2018
Hind is an award-winning personal trainer—he holds the title of National Fitness Awards Best Personal Trainer UK for 2017. Each year he trains a client for free. After receiving more than a thousand applications for the spot, Hind decided to help McClintock.
“Dibsy is a great guy but unfortunately he hasn’t taken care of himself properly. I was really affected by his story and motivated to help him so he can turn his life around,” Hind said, according to LADbible.
Hind said it will take about a year for McClintock to reach a regular weight.
“He’s made a great start, he’s trying hard and most importantly smiling,” Hind said.
“Overweight” is defined as having a body mass index of 25 or more, and “obese” as having a BMI of 30 or more. Being overweight and obese can increase a person’s risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancer, according to the World Health Organisation.