### Wiltshire Man Sheds 10 Stone in a Year Through Dramatic Diet Overhaul—No Exercise or Weight-Loss Drugs Involved
A hairdresser from Wiltshire has revealed how a radical change in diet allowed him to lose an astonishing 10 stone (over 63 kilograms) in a single year—all without resorting to weight-loss medication, surgery, or high-intensity exercise.
Josh Hilton, aged 31 and hailing from Lyneham, reached his heaviest at 20 stone. His daily routine consisted largely of fast food takeaways and sugary drinks, with the cost of his food habits reportedly soaring to £3,000 a year. His lifestyle, he recounts, left him feeling constantly exhausted and embarrassed about his appearance. Simple tasks such as tying his shoelaces led to sweating, and he often avoided getting in his car if it was parked too close to another vehicle because of his size.
A turning point came late in 2023, when a photograph taken at a work Christmas party prompted Josh to reflect seriously on his health. The image, he explained, made him realise just how out of control his weight gain had become, leading to a sense of humiliation and a strong desire for change. Determined to turn things around at the dawn of the new year, he pledged to overhaul his eating habits.
Rejecting both prescribed weight-loss injections and surgical intervention, Josh instead focused on recalibrating his calorie intake. Gone were the daily visits to McDonald’s and KFC, as well as the evening binges on sweets and snacks. Instead, he adopted a diet rich in protein, fibre, and fresh fruits and vegetables. “I wanted to get the food side down first,” he stated, explaining that walking more was the only notable increase in his physical activity.
Within twelve months, Josh’s transformation was remarkable: his weight dropped to just over 10 stone, and his clothing size shrank from a 2XL and 48-inch waist to a 28-inch waist. He notes improvements in his confidence, quality of sleep, and even his skin health. The impact on his mental wellbeing has been profound, though he admits that psychologically he sometimes still feels like the person he was at his largest.
Josh’s openness about his journey has drawn curiosity—and occasional scepticism—from friends and acquaintances. He is often asked if weight loss jabs or surgery have been behind his rapid transformation, to which he responds that it was simply hard work and discipline with food intake. Discussions around weight loss, he remarked, often understate the magnitude of the effort required to sustain a calorie deficit over an extended period.
Reflecting on his old lifestyle, Josh admitted to skipping breakfast and lunch in favour of substantial takeaway dinners, snacks heavy in crisps and chocolate, and consuming as much as three litres of full-sugar fizzy drinks every day. The financial cost was also substantial; on closer inspection, he calculated spending around £10,000 on takeaways alone over two years. Food, he says, became both a comfort and a crutch for his anxiety, but it took a harsh toll on his mental and physical health.
Since adopting healthier habits, his meals now include breakfast options such as low-fat yoghurt or porridge, balanced lunches, and dinners focused on lean proteins and vegetables. He drinks water in place of sugary beverages, snacking in moderation on fruit and lower-calorie alternatives.
Josh is candid about the ongoing mental struggle, describing lingering feelings of inadequacy despite physical triumphs. “Food addiction is real and isn’t understood enough”, he comments, drawing comparisons to the sympathy shown to other forms of addiction.
His advice to others aiming for major weight loss is to focus on gradual, consistent progress rather than expecting immediate results: “Be patient, and remember small steps add up,” he recommends. For Josh, maintaining his new lifestyle is a continuing journey, but he stands as an example of what can be achieved through determination and conscious changes, even without the help of medication or extreme exercise regimes.