My fiancée broke my heart and made me a 19-stone monster!

Mar 29 2009 by Zoe Chamberlain, Sunday Mercury

My fiancée

broke my heart and

made me

a 19-stone monster!

WHEN a family affair ruined his romance, chef James Freeman cooked up a life-changing diet – and lost a whopping seven stone.

He was dumbstruck when his fiancée left him for his uncle, who was also his best friend.

Taking solace in comfort food and alcohol, James piled on the weight until he reached a staggering 19 stone.

“My fiancée left me for my uncle who was also my best friend and, devastated, I drank myself into a 19-stone monster,” says James, 22 and from Alcester, Warwickshire.

“A friend took pity on me and dragged me to a gym.

“I got hooked. I read up on nutrition, changed my diet and lost seven stone.

“As I was often on the go until late, I made lunch my big meal of the day.

“There was time to burn it all off during the afternoon, and then eat something lighter later on.”

This is a good tactic, according to experts.

‘‘Too many people overlook their midday meal,” says Ruth McKean, sports nutritionist at the Scottish Institute of Sport.

“After breakfast, lunch is the second most important meal of the day in your weight-loss plan.

‘‘It boosts your energy levels and regulates your metabolism to keep you on an even keel.”

“On my midday meal – chicken or tuna in sauce – I sprinkle a handful of cheese. It adds flavour and helps me to feel fuller,” says James.

Satiating

The experts agree that cheese isn’t necessarily a bad thing for dieting.

“The protein and fat in cheese is very satiating,” says California-based professional nutritionist Alan Aragon.

“As a result, cheese helps hold your appetite at bay for hours.”

And as a chef James knew which foods would help him shift the pounds.

“I knew that spices like piri-piri with chicken or chilli powder with rice would make dishes more appetising – and better for fat-burning,” he says.

It was a wise menu choice.

“Not only does chilli fire up your metabolism, but exotic flavouring makes food more satisfying psychologically,” says Dr Alan Hirsch of Chicago’s Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation.

In a 2008 study by Hirsch of 2,436 overweight people, flavouring food with calorie-free seasonings was found to make people feel full faster and cut down their consumption.

Subjects lost an average of 15 per cent body weight over a six-month period.

James also varied his exercise regime to keep himself motivated.

“To keep exercise fresh, I would often play badminton as a direct replacement for running on the treadmill,” says James.

Badminton is, according to England’s national team coach Ian Wright, the fastest paced of all racquet sports.

“The record speed of a shuttlecock is 206mph, compared to the fastest tennis serve of just 153mph,” he says.

The International Journal of Sports Nutrition reported that in 30 minutes of badminton you’ll burn 440 calories.

Losing weight has completely transformed James’ life – with a new job and relationship.

“Now I’ve met an amazing new girl and qualified to become an advanced gym instructor. My life is better than it ever was.”