'I never thought I was that big,' says CT man who lost a massive 100kg

A 32-year-old Cape Town gym fanatic has achieved the goal he set for himself of losing 100kg - nearly half his body weight.

“I worked so hard towards this goal and it still feels so unreal!” said Francois Steyn.

He said he had been living a normal life and was surprised to learn that he was considered morbidly obese.

“When I was 230kg I still never thought that I was that big ... It’s a strange feeling looking back at pictures and seeing how morbidly obese I was. I was healthy and living life - and before I knew it, I was 230kg and a ticking time bomb,” he said.

Steyn shared his story on the Sleekgeek Health Revolution, an online platform with 180,000 members who are looking to lose weight, get fit and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Looking back to the time he was obese, Steyn recalled how easy it was to adopt unhealthy eating habits. “The old me wasn’t motivated, didn’t exercise at all, binge ate every few days and had a really bad relationship with food,” he said.

These days a typical workout includes weight training and cardio, including 20 minutes of cycling and 40 minutes or more on the treadmill to get his heart rate up.

Following his dramatic transformation, Steyn is full of confidence. “I still see the old me when I look in the mirror now, but that doesn’t worry me because it keeps me motivated to continue with my journey and reach every single goal I set for myself,” he said.

Asked about what prompted the lifestyle change, he responded: “It sounds clichéd but I woke up one day and decided: enough is enough. You get to a point in life where you fear that you might get a heart attack just walking around. That’s not a life worth living."

Steyn not only looks and feels better, but the weight loss has given him a new perspective on life. “Everything about life is different and better, including the way I look at life and the way people look at me,” he said.

"Let’s be honest: being 230kg in today’s society means you get judged in every store, in every restaurant. It doesn’t matter where you go."

Giving advice to people wanting to lose weight, Steyn said it was important just to start. “Take that first step. Don’t be afraid because the future isn’t clear. Start now and six months from now you will thank yourself,” he said, adding that he now dreams of completing an Ironman triathlon.