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Irish man battles the bulge on national TV
By Fiona Audley
 Oversized
portions of Irish stew and potatoes were among the carb culprits leading
a 37-stone man to an early grave before he decided to bear his bulge to
the nation and reclaim his life.
And in less than six months the determined over-eater has shed an impressive
five stone, can shun the sweet treats that plagued his arteries and has
kicked a football around for the first time in his life.
Stefan Ginesi was born and bred in Lisburn, Co. Antrim but carrying extra
weight in childhood drew the bullying that would send him running to food
for comfort until he was into his 30s.
Only now, aged 36, has the milkman realised his problems, confronted his
demons, and more than halved his 8,000-a-day calorie intake.
What’s more he has done it publicly by appearing in just underwear
on Channel 4’s healthy-eating programme, Supersize vs Superskinny,
which was screened last week.
He weighed just 34 stone when the episode was filmed in November 2007.
The programme unveiled the obscene amount of food — from fatty carbohydrates
shovelled down at 3am to constant sweets feeding and oversized meals —
which he consumed daily to maintain his shocking stature.
Stefan said: “I literally ate all day long from my early bakery
drop where I’d eat soda bread baguettes with three sausages and
large scones. I didn’t stop eating until I went to bed.
“I never classed anything as breakfast, lunch or dinner because
food was never far from me. It was my best friend.”
But the brave carb junkie has since whittled his calorie intake to just
3,000 a day and now dances at home for fun and exercise and enjoyed his
first game of football just last week.
He said: “Last year I had come to a point in my life where I had
to stop hiding or I could have ended up curled up under the bed covers
forever.
“I had been heavy since I was a child and a target for bullies,
which made it worse because I ran to food for comfort but now was the
time to stop blaming people, take responsibility for my situation and
reclaim my life.”
The programme’s doctor advised Stefan on healthier eating and showed
him an equally at-risk individual who, weighing six stone, also controlled
her life with food.
Stefan said: “The show was hard but necessary — I was in a
controlled eating environment which made me face the demons which I would
usually suppress with food.
“It also meant showing my body to the nation and I was sick three
times before I could take my robe off but I am so pleased that I did it.”
And following the show Stefan, who now weighs 32 stone and is continuing
to lose weight, is enjoying leading a new life.
He added: “Now if I’m tempted to eat I do something else.
I go for a walk or phone a friend and I have just 3,000 calories a day
— so I can still have my favourite stew but in moderation.”
Channel 4’s Supersize vs Superskinny series is on Tuesdays at
8pm and the final episode airs on March 11. |
