CHARLIE Sadler had never felt so low in his life – weighing 34 stone and stuck in a painful cycle of comfort eating he saw no way out.
The 31-year-old had battled with his throughout adulthood, and with every passing year his self-confidence dipped lower.
“My self-esteem had always been bad – but I was trapped in a bad relationship and used food to try to fill the emotional gap,”; he says.
“It just made things worse.”;
Charlie tried various methods to , from online weight loss programmes to the gym.
But no approach was sustainable.
“I’d burn myself out at the gym, only to be starving all the time,”; he explains.
“I wasn’t training my brain to eat in a way that would support my body. It was so difficult and disheartening.”;
Working from his Tamworth home as an account executive, Charlie found himself constantly picking from the fridge out of habit, boredom and isolation.
He felt trapped by his size and struggled to navigate daily life.
He thought a trip to for a stag do five years ago would cheer him up, but the journey made him feel worse.
When he tried to do up his seatbelt it wouldn’t fit and he had to ask the steward for help with an extension belt.
“That filled me with shame. It made me dread flying. I felt so self-conscious and embarrassed.
It was a reminder that I wasn’t in control of my own body,”; he says sadly.
“Being a big man is hard. Not fitting into seats, being constantly judged for being fat – it used to break my heart. I felt so uncomfortable all the time. I just wanted to stay at home 24/7 because I was safe there.”;
The breaking point came when Charlie, 5ft10 in height and weighing 34 stone at his heaviest, asked his doctor for help and was met with indifference.
“I was just advised I was too big and needed to change. Which, fair enough, I did. But I didn’t feel like I was being given a real solution,” he recalls.
“I felt like I was talking to a brick wall.”;
Being a fat man is hard…I just wanted to stay at home 24/7 because I was safe there
Charlie Sadler
He confided in a friend who recommended Juniper, a service that offered access to weight loss medication to help with appetite regulation.
Wegovy (semaglutide) is an approved weight management medication available on the NHS for individuals with , who are overweight, or have weight-related conditions.
It can be prescribed by specialist weight management services after a referral from a GP.
Charlie was nervous, but knew he needed to give it a try and started taking the drug in July last year.
“The idea of taking a medication like that felt odd at first,”; Charlie says.
“I had a lot of doubts. But then I realised that this was my chance. I wasn’t just sitting back waiting for a miracle. I was taking control.”;
Charlie started to feel the difference as soon as he injected his first dose, although he also experienced three side effects – , , and low moods.
“My appetite went right down and I lost the first few stone very quickly. It was a combination of desperation and the side effects kicking in,”; he admits.
“I wasn’t prepared for how fast it happened, but the results spoke for themselves. It was like my body just clicked into gear.”;
Over time the weight loss slowed down to a healthier pace, and Charlie started to feel positive effects on his mind as well as his body.
“I began to feel more in control, more focused, and more motivated to keep going. It wasn’t just about looking different. It was about feeling different,”; he says.
“I feel like a new man. I never imagined I’d be able to say that. It’s like I’ve been given a second chance.”
He has now lost 10.5st, stopped and is hopeful for the first time in years.
While he has shrunk in size and bought a completely new wardrobe, the most transformational aspect has been the improvement in his confidence.
He no longer feels trapped by his weight and is able to travel without worrying about fitting into seats or being judged in public.
Most importantly, he feels good about himself.
“I think there’s an unhealthy attitude toward men and weight loss,”; Charlie adds.
“We make jokes about being unhealthy, but we never get serious about it. Men are told to be brave and man up, but we need to change that.
“I used to think there was something wrong with me for needing help. But once I realised it wasn’t a weakness, I started talking about it more.
“I’ve had friends who have opened up to me since I started this journey.
“It’s OK for men to seek help. ‘It’s OK to take control of your health. That’s why I’m sharing my story.”;
