Biggest loser '˜Mr Sleek' admits hula hooping weight loss secret

After being rejected for a charity sky dive in memory of his mum for being too heavy, 21-stones Gavin Preston knew something had to change.

Now 10 months down the line, the 43-year-old has not only dropped from the skies but also dropped several jean sizes as he starts a venture to help others to shed the pounds.

Gavin’s motivation started when he called Lostock Hall charity St Catherine’s Hospice to take part in its sponsored sky dive after losing his mum Irene Tounder to cancer when she was 67.

The charity had cared for Irene before her death but told the Miller’s Taxi driver he was six stone too heavy to do the tandem jump from the plane.

The Walton-le-Dale resident then decided to join Slimming World.

“I didn’t really do any exercise at first, just kept to the diet,” Gavin said. “The only thing I would do is play on the kids’ Wii Fit and do some hula-hooping for 20 minutes every morning. The weight dropped off and I was losing nearly a stone every month.”

In just 10 months, Gavin reached his target weight of just under 15 stones and completed the skydive, raising more than £700 for the hospice.

And Gavin says the double success of losing the weight and completing the spectacular feat made a “huge difference” to him and his family.

The husband and father to three children said: “Before I lost the weight I needed loads of sleep, wasn’t healthy and even had high blood pressure. Now I’m running three times a week, have so much more energy and just feel better in myself.”

And that’s not all Gavin’s doing, after winning his group’s ‘biggest loser’ competition as well as being crowned Mr Sleek for 2015, he prepares to begin his own Slimming World at Brookfield Primary School on Watling Street Road in Preston.

The classes will begin on Thursday, July 14 and Gavin is looking to pass on what he’s learnt on his fitness journey to other men and women.

Anyone interested in joining his group can email [email protected]