'I broke into a sweat tying my shoelaces, then I knew I wasn't living'

A hairdresser who found himself 'breaking into a sweat' when tying his shoelaces has revealed the secrets of how he lost nine stone in a year.

Joshua Hilton, 30, said he had "tried every single diet" before finding the one method that helped him shed nearly half his bodyweight. Together with his former hairdressing teacher, Sarah Jane Clark, the pair dropped an astonishing 22 stone between them.

Joshua dropped nine stone within a year, and Sarah lost an even more impressive 12-and-a-half stone. Their partnership evolved from a teacher-student relationship to a supportive friendship that now helps others and confronts "toxic diet culture".

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For Joshua, the transformation started as a New Year's resolution on January 1, 2024. Weighing in at 20 stone, he was avoiding social interactions, had trouble tying his shoelaces, and faced significant mental health issues.

The duo began losing weight on their own but later joined forces to maximise their results without resorting to crash diets. Joshua, from Chippenham, Wiltshire, said: "I wasn’t living - I was just existing.

"I’ve tried every single diet - slimming groups, keto, even diet pills – it’s not the right way to do it.

"My mental health was on the brink, I would avoid people in the supermarket and I struggled to even tie my shoelaces up without going into a sweat."

Rejecting the quick-fix solutions, he committed to a calorie deficit strategy, consuming fewer calories than his body burns, with the focus on steady, sustainable weight loss.

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Sarah, 53, once a hairdresser herself, she has now transitioned into helping others as a wellbeing coach, using her own experiences to guide those struggling with food addiction and weight issues.

Both Joshua and Sarah emphasise that there’s no secret formula for weight loss. Speaking of his approach, Joshua said: "I still eat cake, chocolate, and takeaways.

“It’s all about portion control and prioritising protein, vegetables, and fibre.

“You don’t have to give up carbs or live on salmon and rice - it’s just about being aware of calories.”

Joshua’s former diet consisted largely of sugar and fast food, including three to four litres of full-fat Coke daily, multiple takeaways per night, and minimal water.

Now, he enjoys balanced meals like granola with fruit for breakfast, gammon and chips for lunch, and a takeaway or a meal out for dinner, with room for evening snacks like cake and chocolate bars.

Nevertheless, he hasn't banned 'bad food' entirely as long as he maintains a calorie deficit. Now tipping the scales at just over 11 stone, he's become an ardent advocate for debunking myths around weight loss and the diet industry.

Joshua said: “We’re fighting against toxic fad diets and the stigma around food addiction. Food addiction isn’t treated like other substance abuses, but it’s just as real.”

Through Joshua's TikTok page and Sarah's Facebook group called step by step with Sarah Jane, the pair share their insights and supports others.

Joshua is also training to become a weight management coach, while Sarah continues to advocate for positive, sustainable approaches to health and nutrition.

“People always say New Year’s resolutions won’t last, but sometimes they do,” Joshua said. “You can enjoy food and still lose weight.”

Joshua's diet before:

Breakfast: either nothing or chocolate cake

Lunch: nothing

Dinner: takeaway x2 e.g. a KFC, then a McDonald’s

Snacks: chocolate cake, crisps, chocolate bar

Joshua's diet now:

Breakfast: Mixed granola, fruit, Nutella

Lunch: Gammon, egg and chips or jacket potato with beans

Dinner: Smaller portion takeaway or dinner out

Snacks: cake and chocolate bars