Teacher sheds more than nine stone without weight loss jabs after mindset shift

An obese teacher from Lincolnshire has explained how a shift in mindset helped him lose more than nine stone without weight loss medication. Glen Allison, 40, weighed 21 stone 8 pounds at his heaviest (about 302 pounds) and says life felt like a constant struggle.

His weight problems trace back to childhood illness: a medical condition required surgery, and doctors advised his parents to feed him more before the operation, a factor he believes contributed to an unhealthy relationship with food that began early in life. He also recalls being pointed at and laughed at as others teased him for his size, which affected his confidence and the activities he chose to take part in.

At 40, he decided to ditch crash diets and binge eating to live differently and joined One You Lincolnshire, a council-funded weight loss program that includes a free 12-week membership to a local Slimming World group.

In less than a year of attending weekly Slimming World meetings and exercising regularly, he dropped to 12 stone 5 pounds (173 pounds) and has begun weight training at the college where he works. He credits the program for both physical gains and improved mental resilience, emphasizing accountability and consistency. He says the initial support provided the spark to restart his health journey, and he kept going long after the formal 12 weeks ended.

Now slimmer and fitter, Allison reports a new relationship with food, stronger confidence, and a renewed enjoyment of everyday activities, including clothes shopping. He notes that the structure and accountability of the program helped him break out of a cycle of crash diets and binge eating and established healthier routines.

The program, known as One You Lincolnshire, costs about £3 million a year and may conclude in September 2026, while a consultation decides its long-term future. Allison argues that the scheme goes beyond individual transformation, helping build healthier communities and reducing strain on the NHS. He has called for the scheme to be protected so that others can benefit. One You Lincolnshire has been approached for comment.

Previously, his meals were heavy and high in fats and sugars, with breakfast featuring fried eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms in butter, baked beans, buttered bread, and a litre of full-sugar fizzy drink; lunch often consisted of a takeaway cheeseburger with chips and a shared chocolate bar; dinner was four fish fingers on buttered bread with a large portion of deep-fried chips, with snacks of crisps and chocolate. Now, breakfast is protein yoghurt with sliced apple and strawberries; lunch is a mixed leaf salad with grilled chicken and balsamic dressing; dinner is a lean grilled steak with mushrooms and a jacket potato with low-fat cream cheese and a side salad; snacks include melon, pineapple, or berries, and he drinks about two litres of water a day.