Colchester man loses 15 stone in weight loss journey

Stuart Murray, 54, moved back to Colchester 24 years ago after studying at the University of Essex in the 1990s.

The death of his father led to Stuart realising he needed to sort his “life out”, “get fit”, and “get healthy”.

When he joined Stanway Rovers Slimming World Group in June 2021, Stuart weighed 30 stone and 13 pounds.

Before - an image of Stuart Murray on holiday (Image: Public)

After years of working on his diet, becoming more physically active, and with the on-going support of the Slimming World group, Stuart has lost half his body, losing an incredible 15 stone and half.

He now weighs 15 stone and four pounds, and the transformation has unlocked life for him.

Stuart said: “I had known about Slimming World for a long time, I thought well it is now or never, it is time to do this.

“You haven’t got the energy, you are existing, not living.

“Now, I’m living and I’m enjoying life.

“Life is so much easier when you are not that size

"You don’t realise how hard it is when you are big, things like sitting on the train, I take up one seat now, not one seat and a half.

“At restaurants you can fit behind the booth, I can buy clothes off the peg and not from a specialist shop, it’s the things you don’t think about it.”

Celebrating - a recent photo of Stuart Murray (Image: Public)

Stuart would normally “eat anything” and “exercise was to be avoided at all costs”, when he started at the gym, he focuses on starting with 20 minutes on the cross trainer and anything to his “heart beating”.

Within a couple of months, he had lost 5 and a half stone and would workout and go for a swim afterwards, and then to the sauna as a treat.

Between Christmas and new year 2021, he lost seven stone and two pounds, the equivalent of 100 pounds.

In March 2022, he worked with trainers at the gym to “bulk up” his arms and chests, with a workout focusing on upper body strength and toning his muscles.

Stuart never thought he would “become a gym person” but he enjoys it, and over the next few years, continued to transform himself.

Now, Stuart takes part in the Colchester parkrun, heads to the gym three times a week, tries to get in a game of golf every week, and will try to do an additional 5km run “on a good week”.

Last Thursday, he was awarded a Club 50 award from the Slimming World group for achieving such a tremendous milestone that many aren’t able to reach.

Thrilled - Stuart Murray with his Club 50 award (Image: Public)

He said: “I’ve lost half my bodyweight; I am officially half the man I used to be.

“It is not something they give out, there aren’t many people in Club 50.

“It is a huge achievement, and it is something I am very proud to hold.

“I like what I am becoming, now being able to be fit, active, and being able to make sensible choices when eating.”

Moving forward, Stuart hopes to further his running pursuits and one day take part in a marathon.

The inspirational Colchester resident has offered some words of wisdom to those facing their own weight loss journeys.

He said: “The hardest thing is walking through the doors for the first time, and joining the group is a big first step.

“It takes years to change, it is not instant, stick with it, you will have bad days and good days, make sure the good outweigh the bad.”

“You can always make time to do exercise, you have to incorporate it as part of your day, that is one of the hardest things, it has to be come part of your routine.

"It’s not just for women it is for guys as well, we’re in 2024, guys come forward and lose weight."

Exercise - Stuart at the gym (Image: Public)

Slimming World Consultant, Alice Turburville, said: “I am so proud of Stuart achieving this dream weight. 

“When he walked through my doors, I remember asking him what he would like his target weight to be, and he told me he wanted to lose half his body weight.

“I told him that following the food optimising plan and with the commitment to group he could absolutely do it and he has.”

The group runs at Stanway Rovers Football Club every Thursday at 9am, 10.30am, 4pm, 5.30pm or 7pm.