Bolton man wins award for amazing weight transformation

Jack Self, 23, who lives in Bolton, started his weight loss journey at 24 stone and 10 pounds.

He said: “I put on a lot of weight at university.

“One day my girlfriend wanted to go to classes at [Daisy Hill’s] Slimming World.

“She didn’t really want to go on her own and encouraged me to go with her.”

Jack felt nervous about the atmosphere, as slimming clubs are typically “seen as a women’s thing.”

He said: “I found it a bit daunting, it was difficult wrapping my head around it.

“But, as soon as I got there, they made me feel comfortable.

“It was a nice, sensitive community and the diet was easy to follow.”

Jack Self before; Jack with his 10.5 stone weight loss award (Image: Jack Self; Catherine Cleary)

He started to see dramatic results. And fast.

By late May of this year, he dropped an incredible nine and a half stone. He was voted Slimming World Man of the Year.

He said: “I always believed I could do something, never that I could do that well or lose that much.

@fatboyslimmer00 Creamy Cajun chicken pasta 🍝 Syn free ✅ #slimmingworld #weightloss #cajunchicken #fyp #pasta #creamypasta #recipe #fakeaway#slimmingworldmeals #fakeaway #mealideas #weightlossmeal ♬ Move on Up (Single Edit) - Curtis Mayfield

“I thought it would happen slower. But it all happened really fast.”

He began to learn and share his enthusiasm for healthy cooking.

He said: “I wasn’t always into cooking, but with what I’ve been doing, it’s made me appreciate it more. And my cooking skills have definitely improved.”

He said: “One day, I was making recipes and people in Slimming World were asking me to post how I made them.”

His girlfriend encouraged him to start a TikTok sharing his recipes, which he did under the handle fatboyslimmer00.

It became a sensation.

Only running for six months, it grew to having 27.5K followers.

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He said: “It was a very quick rise and blew up very fast.

“I’ve had a lot of messages saying I’ve helped people and inspired them.

“And that’s a really nice feeling.

“Because that’s what I want to do, is help other people even just encourage them, because I know it’s very hard to even start.”

Now, he he has reached another milestone. He lost 10.5 stone and received the '10 1/2 stone' award.

He said: “I’m very proud of this award.

“I’ve worked very hard for it, and I think it’s a testament to that hard work.”

He is proud of his work, but still hasn’t reached his end goal.

He said: “I’m still 11 pounds off from where I want to be.

“I’m not far away but I still have a way to go.”

Catherine Cleary, consultant at Slimming World, said: “Jack’s weight loss journey over the past year has been nothing short of inspirational, and his story continues to motivate and uplift everyone around him.

“In just over a year, he has transformed not only his body but also his lifestyle and outlook on life.

“One of the most remarkable moments in Jack's journey came when he revisited the cinema exactly one year apart.

“This time, he didn't just watch the movie; he walked to and from the cinema, a testament to his newfound stamina and commitment to an active lifestyle.

“From walking to the cinema to engaging in various other forms of exercise, Jack has made physical activity an integral part of his life.

“His commitment to staying active has not only contributed to his weight loss but also improved his overall health and well-being.

“Jack’s story continues to inspire and motivate others, proving that no goal is too big when you have the courage to pursue it and the support to sustain it.”