Birmingham dad loses six stone after quitting £6k-a-year takeaway addiction

A dad has kicked his £6,000-a-year takeaway habit and lost six stone after his wife nagged him to change his diet. Bill Chana, aged 56 and from Sutton Coldfield, tipped the scales at 19st 7lbs and wore size XXXL at his heaviest.

The father-of-one used to eat out or order takeaways around 90 per cent of the time, indulging in McDonald's breakfasts and chip shop dinners. But he was spurred into action after finding everyday tasks like grocery shopping left him breathless, and he was diagnosed with type two diabetes, high cholesterol, and asthma.

After encouragement from his wife, Sita, also 56, Bill decided to give Slimming World a try. In just eight months, he slimmed down to 12st 13lbs and now fits comfortably into size L clothes. He has swapped takeaways for home-cooked meals and regularly attends the gym.

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Bill, who works as a business development manager, said: "On average I was spending £6,000 a year on takeaways including dining out and drinking beers, spirits and wines. It used to be ten per cent cooking in the house and 90 per cent eating out of the house and now it's 100 per cent in the house.

"I was in denial, and I thought Slimming World was more for a female audience and not a man's environment. Every week Sita would tell me to join. It was constant nagging and digs to try to persuade me."

Before turning his life around, Bill's daily routine included regular takeaways and booze. He said: "At the weekend I would eat takeaways and drink a lot of beer and wine. I was relying on fast food or a restaurant for my food."

"In my mind, I wanted to lose weight, but I never thought I could do it." But his unhealthy habits started to take their toll on his health.

Things got so severe that Bill found himself scouting for an elevator in shops rather than facing a walk down the stairs. He received a wake-up call in July 2022 when he was diagnosed with type two diabetes, high cholesterol, and asthma, leading his GP to advise immediate lifestyle changes.

Sita, an account manager at a property firm, had already been shedding pounds with Slimming World for three months and had lost an impressive five stone before Bill joined her. He said: "The first few months was quite astonishing. At my first weigh-in, I lost eight pounds and was shocked to see that it was working."

"Before I knew it 38 days, I lost a stone and that is when adrenaline kicked in and I knew I wanted to do this 100 per cent."

Bill transformed his diet from fast food to fresh home-cooked meals like chicken curry and began hitting the gym twice a week. He said: "By losing this weight, I was shocked I don't need any medication, and I was then moved to remission. Because of the diet I didn't have a fatty liver anymore.

"Now, my alcohol consumption is drastically reduced, though I still think it's important to enjoy occasional treats."

Bill, who has slimmed down to a waist size of 36 and chest size of 42, said he had changed so much that he was often mistaken for someone else. He said: "It happens quite frequently. My annual boiler engineer thought he had the wrong house.

"I recognise them but they either have to do a double look or just walk past me."

Before altering his diet, Bill's meals typically constituted of a hefty breakfast, often a full English fry-up or McDonald's, a shop-bought sandwich meal deal for lunch, and a dinner of takeaway favourites like fish and chips, Indian, or Chinese. His snacks included biscuits, chocolate bars, peanuts, and crisps.

Since changing his dietary habits, his meal routine now begins with zero-oil scrambled eggs on fibre-rich bread for breakfast, followed by a light fruit or tuna salad for lunch, and healthier evening meals such as brown pasta with chicken curry or prawns. He also ensures he stays hydrated with plenty of water throughout the day.