A DETERMINED man made it through to the national semifinals of a slimming competition after he shifted five and a half stones in less than a year.

Paul Gibbs, 40, was one of 42 men across the UK to win a place in the Slimming World Man Of the Year Competition.

Approaching his 40th birthday he was full of fear. He weighed 17st 7.5lbs and was dangerously overweight.

He said: “I felt lethargic and always out of breath, gasping for air at climbing the stairs. I also had high blood pressure and cholesterol.

“I felt ugly and was in a lull of depression which affected my relationship with my family, including having a real negative effect on my marriage.”

Paul had battled with his weight for most of his adult life, having tried all sorts of diet plans.

It got to a point last year when a culmination of three events made him determined to turn his life around.

Being known as “one of the fatties” at work was the first.

Secondly, an old customer had told him he had “put on a bit of timber”.

The final straw came when he appeared in a photo on Facebook and realised it was not the person he wanted to be.

It was then he found Slimming World, and on walking through the doors he felt instantly at ease.

He said: “It felt like a community, a family environment where everyone was going through or had gone through a similar journey.”

Paul, from Colchester, soon embraced the eating plan and in his first week he lost 6lbs.

He said: “I have my sparkle back. I feel like my life has been given back to me and I feel fabulous at 40.”

Paul has now trained as a consultant and will be opening a new group at Gosbecks Primary School in Shrub End, Colchester.

It will be held every Monday at 5.30pm, from October 29.

For more information call 07798 887805.