A Bradford man who has lost five and half stone in weight is Bradford Council's latest b active award winner.
Bradford Council’s Sport and Leisure Service will present 41-year-old Paul Young with the award on Wednesday (1 February) in recognition of his determination to get fit and improve his health.
Paul stopped drinking alcohol and eating unhealthy food which had caused his weight to shoot up to 20 stone at one time.
He could no longer keep up with his daughter running around in the garden and the only sporting thing he did was play snooker at his local club.
He wanted to exercise again but was nervous about entering a gym for the first time since school. However, the staff at Eccleshill pool were very welcoming and helped put together a suitable programme for him which included the treadmill, cross trainer, bikes, and resistance weights.
He also went swimming and soon his training increased to two-hour work-outs in the gym five times a week with his favourite piece of equipment being the cross trainer.
The results were staggering, with Paul losing two-and-a-half stones in just the first couple of months. He said: "I was overweight and unhealthy and I wanted to be able to keep up with my daughter. I am still hoping to lose a further two stones."
"I feel more confident in myself and if I look at the photographs of me weighing nearly 21 stones I don’t recognise myself. I have totally changed my diet. I eat lots of chicken, salads, jacket potatoes, cereal bars and of course plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and my wife cooks more healthy meals. I used to be so unhappy and now I am full of the joys of spring and I have a lot more confidence.
"Also, I really enjoy the gym at Eccleshill Pool and all the staff are very friendly and have given me a lot of support and advice."
Paul works as a cabling engineer and finds handling the physical aspects of the job far easier with his new fitness levels.
Coun Andrew Thornton, Executive Member with responsibility for sport, said: "It’s fantastic to see how regular exercise, together with a healthy diet, has played such a big part in helping Paul improve the prospects for his future health. He is a great example to us all and we are delighted to be presenting him with our latest b active award. He really deserves it.”
The b active awards are given out by the Council's Leisure Services to local people in recognition of their outstanding achievements and nearly 40 have been presented since the b active campaign was started in 2003. The aim of the campaign is to encourage people across the district to become more physically active.
