A chef who tried to control his food lost 15 stone in 16 months by eating just one meal a day. Simon Parnell, 42, tipped the scales at 35 stone at his heaviest and struggled to squeeze into a size 8XL.
He used to snack on crisps, pastries and fizzy drinks, but decided to make the switch when he realized he couldn’t make it through a work shift without swelling in his legs – often spending the next day in extreme pain. Simon thought the only way to lose weight was to have gastric band surgery, but when he realized he had to wait two years, he decided to try it naturally.
He joined his friend Ben Turner, 42, for a walk one morning – and the pair agreed to meet and walk together at 6am every day. Simon began fasting and has now switched to healthy home-cooked meals such as chicken and vegetables.
He was amazed when the weight came off and he is now a relatively slim 19st 11lbs, a size 2XL, and “feels like a million dollars”. He says his daughter Hatty, 14, is “so proud” of her father. Simon, from St Margaret’s, Kent, said: “My weight kept getting worse.
“Over time I got really big and it was hard for me to do everything from putting on socks to going to work.” I completely devoted myself to walking.
“I started walking every day and gradually I was able to walk further and faster. Now I feel something so unimaginable, so happy, so healthy, this is what I wanted all my life.”
“I dreamed and imagined it and I’m living my best life. I’ve waited my whole life to get to where I am, even though I’m not done. My daughter thought I wouldn’t make it this far, she did – she’s so proud of me and she talked about it so many times.”
Simon had always struggled with his weight and ate four slices of toast every morning, snacked on junk food during the day and drank a few bottles of beer every night. His favorite foods were meal deals, sweets, chocolates and fizzy drinks.
He said: “My car would fill up with at least half a black bag of packaging every week.” “I would just end up in a complete hole.
“At the end of the day, I just couldn’t move – my body was shutting down.” Simon’s job as a cook required him to stand for long periods of time, but he could barely make it through a shift without sitting a lot all day.
He would also often end the day with swollen feet and be in pain the entire next day. Simon said: “I was worried about my health.
“I wasn’t happy with the way I looked and thought gastric bypass surgery was the only way to lose weight. However, when I was told how long I would be waiting for a hospital bed, I decided to start my own weight loss journey. .”
In January 2023, Simon’s friend Ben invited him for a morning walk. They met at 6am and walked three kilometers – which left Simon “angry”. The two men made a pact to meet there every morning for a month to walk together – regardless of the weather or any other factors.
Alongside his daily walks, Simon embarked on a fast – eating one meal every day at 5pm. He said: “It was just a complete change of mindset.
“It was a struggle at first, but I feel like I’ve really trained my brain over time. Before I started fasting, eating breakfast every morning just made me want to eat all the time.”
“I have a lot more control now. Simon fasted strictly for three to four months.
His one meal a day would include mixed nuts, some form of protein – usually chicken or fish – lentils, a mountain of vegetables or salad, and then some berries and yogurt for dessert. He still follows this routine, but has been able to incorporate more foods into his diet because he knows he now has the mental strength to stay on track.
For a while, Simon felt too self-conscious to go to the gym – but eight months into his weight loss journey, he plucked up the courage to give it a try. Local personal trainer Dave Pilcher helped him relax at the gym and now visits regularly.
“As a fat person, it’s your worst nightmare to go to the gym because you think everyone’s watching you and talking, but they’re not,” Simon said. Dave’s way of training made me want to come back and do even better than before.
“It’s amazing how quickly your mind goes from not wanting to go in, it’s your worst nightmare, to actually looking forward to getting there and being your most confident self.” Simon now averages 25,000 steps a day. She weighs 19 1 lbs – and wants to go further – with a goal weight of 15.
He said: “I still fast and walk and I also go to the gym. I do aqua aerobics and I try to swim a mile five times a week.” Simon shares his weight loss journey on his TikTok account @weightlossjourneybigsi.
Once Simon reaches his target weight, he wants to push himself further – he wants to swim across the channel and start climbing mountains. He said: “I want to help people who are in a similar position that I was in.”
Simon’s Diet Before –
Breakfast – At least four slices of toast with butter
Lunch – sandwiches with a selection of food with crisps, chocolate and fizzy drinks
Dinner – A mixture of meat and carbohydrates (pasta, potatoes, bread, etc.) with beer
Snacks – Beer, chips, chocolate bars, sweets, pastries
Simon’s Diet After –
Breakfast – skipping
Lunch – skipping
Dinner – A mountain of vegetables or salad, chicken, beef or fish and lentils – then berries and yogurt for dessert
Snacks – Mixed nuts, berries