Gregg Blanchard, who was once house-bound due to his crippling 804 lbs weight, has lost 330 lbs in a single year.
Gregg Blanchard, from Manchester, New Hampshire, was so morbidly obese, he could not move without crutches, or even take a shower, completely dependant on the help of wife Ann.
Now, though, he has lost almost half of his former body weight, thanks to a new diet and exercise regime.
Gregg Blanchard told local news channel WMUR 9: “I’m now 474 pounds. That’s 330 pounds gone.”
His weight-loss journey first began in September 2011 after he appeared on the TV station for the first time.
“I looked at myself on TV, and I could not believe I was that big,” he said.
“You look at yourself, but when I watched it, it was like, <<How did I get that size?>>”
The process has been a struggle though. Gregg Blanchard has suffered a series of infections over the past year that have kept him in hospital for months at a time.
“What happened was I wasn’t getting that fuel my body needed,” he explained.
“I felt lethargic and didn’t feel like working out.”
Regardless, Gregg Blanchard was determined, and his impressive weight-loss is proof of that.
Speaking to WMUR 9 in October 2011, he said of his early progress: “It’s not just pounds, it’s walking without crutches. Now, I use a cane sparingly.
“The little things make much more of a difference than the number on the scale.”
Gregg Blanchard’s weight-loss so far has also been thanks in part to personal trainer Mary Wiseman, who has helped him go from virtually bed-bound to walking down the street.
Mary Wiseman said: “We had to take that first step again. When he did, we were on a roll, down the steps and <<let’s go for a walk>>.”
They reached a new milestone recently, when Gregg Blanchard was finally able to fit in a car, and took a trip to Mary Wiseman’s gym.
Gregg Blanchard is now attending sessions with her there regularly. His new goal is to accompany his wife on a trip to North Carolina next year.
“I used to be the 804-pound man,” he said.
“I don’t want to be referred to like that. That was the old me.”
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