{"id":1192488,"date":"2026-09-08T02:49:24","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T02:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1192488\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T02:49:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T02:49:24","slug":"man-loses-17-stone-with-same-nice-and-cheap-meal-every-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1192488\/","title":{"rendered":"Man loses 17 stone with same &#8216;nice and cheap&#8217; meal every day"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Mark Stephen weighed 32 stone before embarking on his weight loss transformation, dropping to under 15 stone by changing his eating habits and introducing daily exercise into his routine<\/p>\n<p>11:08, 07 Sep 2026Updated 11:09, 07 Sep 2026<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mark before his weight loss transformation.\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0_Mark-before-his-weight-loss-transformation.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Mark decided to get moving in a bid to shift the weight\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Mark decided to get moving in a bid to shift the weight(Image: Mark Stephens)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Before his remarkable <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailystar.co.uk\/life-style\/woman-lost-six-stone-simple-37626882\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">weight loss transformation<\/a>, Mark Stephen <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailystar.co.uk\/tv\/600lb-life-star-now-after-37606851\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">tipped the scales<\/a> at a staggering 32 stone but successfully shed the pounds to drop below 15 stone by overhauling his eating habits and incorporating exercise into his daily routine. Prior to embarking on his <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailystar.co.uk\/latest\/weight-loss\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">weight loss<\/a> journey, Mark had relocated to an Airbnb in Nottingham &#8220;temporarily&#8221; in a bid to become more independent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">When the <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailystar.co.uk\/latest\/coronavirus\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">coronavirus<\/a> pandemic struck, he found himself living there alone and, feeling cut off from the world, he &#8220;needed something&#8221; that he &#8220;could control&#8221;. He said: &#8220;And there was very little that I could control other than my weight and what I did with myself.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>How did Mark shed 17 stone?<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Mark decided to get moving, and he began borrowing the neighbour&#8217;s Shar Pei dog &#8220;all the time to go for walks&#8221; and soak up some fresh air, reports <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/life-style\/diets\/1755712\/man-weight-loss-transformation-diet\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">the Express<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;You were allowed to go out to exercise but not much else. If they hadn&#8217;t let me take Oscar the journey would have taken a lot longer,&#8221; he explained.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Feeling more determined than ever, he added other workouts to his fresh fitness regime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Mark began using dumbbells and &#8220;I did a lot of the various weight training things that I had on YouTube and got her help a couple of times&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He also turned to &#8220;the resistant bands as I realised walking the dog was great but I&#8217;m not using any of the other muscles&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mark after his weight loss transformation.\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0_Mark-after-his-weight-loss-transformation.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\" lost a whopping 17 stone and plans to get his excess skin removed\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\"> lost a whopping 17 stone and plans to get his excess skin removed(Image: Mark Stephens)<\/p>\n<p>Mark&#8217;s diet overhaul<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He disclosed that to shift the weight, he began consuming &#8220;the same meal every day&#8221; and while it was &#8220;terribly boring&#8221;, that strict approach &#8220;was the only way I could wrap my head around it&#8221;. However, he would also &#8220;mix it up with different spices and sauces so it wasn&#8217;t just tuna and pasta, which made it nice and cheap as well&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Mark managed to maintain his weight loss for two years, but he still had excess skin he wanted to remove.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Regrettably, the NHS couldn&#8217;t assist him because the procedure is viewed as &#8220;a cosmetic&#8221; treatment, so Mark was unable to undergo surgery following his weight loss.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">When he lost his father earlier this year, things were put &#8220;in focus&#8221; for him and he decided to finance the surgery himself to enhance his lifestyle and appearance, as well as achieve his life goal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He explained: &#8220;This \u00a315,000 that I need for my arms and my belly, I&#8217;ve got it in my head as a wall I need to build.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;And each brick in the wall is \u00a325 and that way it doesn&#8217;t seem like such an unmanageable task as I&#8217;ve built walls with over 600 bricks.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Speaking about the surgery, he remarked: &#8220;It would literally be life-changing, and I&#8217;ve done all the hard work and put in all the hard effort.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;It would be amazing as well as I could go out to see mum a bit more.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">NHS tips to lose weight:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"UnorderedList_unordered-list__gzblI\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"unordered-list\">\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Aim for two or more vegetables a day<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Always include some protein like beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat or other types<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Carbs like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta should make up no more than a third of your meal, and try to have wholegrain versions where you can<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">If you eat fish, try to have two portions a week<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Pick lower-fat and lower-sugar options for milk, cheese and yoghurts<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Go for olive, sunflower and rapeseed oil, which have unsaturated fats<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Choose lower-fat spreads and only eat them in small amounts<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Drink six to eight cups of fluid a day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mark Stephen weighed 32 stone before embarking on his weight loss transformation, dropping to under 15 stone 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