A MINEHEAD man has transformed himself from morbidly obese to landing three medals at a UK-wide fitness modelling competition.

Wayne Martin, 39, weighed more than 22 stone at his peak and has lost eight stone, leading him to play a starring role in the Pure Elite UK Amateur Championships held in Margate on Saturday, April 1.

Wayne said he had his turning point shortly before his 32nd birthday when he was working out in Australia.

He said: “I was approaching 32 when I had two suspected heart attacks – I weighed around 22 stone at the time. 

“I enjoyed clubbing and partying too much, loved my food and drink. 

“One day the lift in my building broke during a heatwave, where temperatures were 44 degrees centigrade and I had to walk up the 10th floor.

“But I was only a third of the way up and I could not go any further, it was then I knew I had to change.”

Wayne went to a doctor who told him if he didn’t change his lifestyle, he might not make it into his early 40s.

He joined the Australian equivalent of Weightwatchers and gradually built up time at the gym, and within nine months he had lost 40kg.

“I later had an accident in the gym where I damaged part of my lower spine, I was in hospital for two weeks and during that time I decided to return home” he added.

“Since returning to Minehead, I joined the Fitness Station run by Tim Ollerenshaw. During a visit to London I was stuck on the tube and spotted an advert for a Fitness Competition which as well as having modelling section, had a transformation category and I thought it would be a good target to aim for.

“I was speaking to Tim and he said if I was going to enter one competition, why not enter other categories.”

Wayne trained hard and his work paid off, as he came third in the Over 35s category, third in the Commercial Modelling category and was the overall winner of the Transformation category.

Following the event, the chief executive of Pure Elite handed him a ‘Pro Card’ which will allow Wayne to compete in the World Championships in Kent in October.

“It is weird to look back at old pictures of myself, I can’t believe I was that big,” Wayne said. 

“I was never lazy, I always worked hard but I just loved my food and drink. I used to overcompensate at social occasions but now people say I seem a lot more relaxed and confident.

"I would say to others looking to lose weight – make sure you do it for yourself, not for other people. It is hard to lose weight, and keeping it off is even harder but it can be done.”