"I shed 9 stone and my life will never be the same": Sheffield man shares weightloss secrets
A Sheffield man has shared how managed to shed 9 and a half stone by learning to fix his relationship with food, and now he hopes to help others do the same with his viral TikTok account.
From binge-eating sessions to walking topless on the beach – Tariq Wright has undergone an incredible transformation, losing nine stone in two years and another half stone of loose skin.
“I’ve yo-yo dieted for my whole adult life – Slimming World, Weight Watchers, you name it, I’ve done it,” says the 35-year-old from Wincobank.
“I couldn’t bear to be in that cycle again. I needed to do something dramatic.”
‘I knew I had to change – and fast’
A stern warning from his GP was the final push.
“They told me if I didn’t do something fast, there’d be serious health concerns – mostly heart disease - it scared me.”
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Tariq found hope on social media.
“A lot of my inspiration came from other people online.
“The more I researched, the more I came across gastric sleeve surgery. People were saying it had completely changed their lives – so I started looking into it for myself.
“There’s a big stigma about going to Turkey for surgery, but I say if you do your research it is just as safe as anywhere else.
“My experience was amazing. I researched so much that I genuinely had zero doubts.
“When I got there, they did thorough health checks, and even found I had an underactive thyroid – something my GP had never picked up.
“I came home, told my doctor, and tests proved they were right.”
Tariq had 80 per cent of his stomach removed during the surgery.
He said: “It’s similar to appetite-suppressing drugs like Ozempic in that it stops you from overeating – but it’s not a magic fix.
“People think it’s the easy way out, but it’s far from it - it’s just a tool. You still have to put in the work and change your relationship with food.”
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‘I used to eat nothing all day, then binge at night’
Before surgery, his eating habits were chaotic. “I’d have nothing for breakfast, nothing for lunch – then get home and eat everything in my house.
“If I opened a packet of biscuits, I had to eat the whole thing: food was my comfort.”
Now, he focuses on 60–80g of protein a day and two litres of water, but he says he does not need to count his calories.
“I can’t waste space on food that doesn’t fuel me, I have to make every bite count,” he says.
He adds that he had to rewire his beliefs around food, no longer using it as a crutch: “Some people have a glass of wine after work to decompress, but I used to just eat. I’ve learnt to stop doing that now.”
Tariq also had to relearn childhood beliefs that you always had to finish everything on your plate. Growing up in a household that did not let him leave the table until he had finished, he said he has finally realised he needs to listen to his body instead, and stop eating when he is satisfied.
Tariq's diet, before and after
Diet Before:
Breakfast: Nothing
Lunch: Nothing
Dinner: “Everything in my house” – whole packets of biscuits, crisps, chocolate, takeaways.
Diet now:
- Breakfast: Chocolate protein shake and multivitamins.
- Snack: Actimel yoghurt drink and Dairylea cheese strip.
- Lunch: Meatballs with tomato sauce and cheese
- Snack: Sugar-free jelly
- Dinner: Low carb keto salad - chicken, celery, grapes, nuts
- Dessert: High-protein chocolate mousse OR.
- Hydration: 2 litres of water daily.
Another example:
- Breakfast: Lemon cheesecake protein yoghurt with some cherries and grapes and multivitamins
- Morning snack: Latte
- Lunch: Cucumber bites with babybel, some fridge raiders and coleslaw
- Afternoon snack: Caramel flavoured jimmys ice coffee
- Dinner: Spicy chicken, coleslaw and some salad
- Dessert: High protein chocolate mousse
- Hydration: 2 litres of water daily.
“Now I make every bite count – I have to get all my nutrients in with such a small stomach,” he says.
Tariq says he does eat vegetables and carbs when there is space, but focuses on protein so he loses fat rather than muscle.
How Tariq’s life has changed
Sharing his story online saw Tariq’s TikTok account (@TheLifeOfMrT) skyrocket from 300 followers to 72,000.
“Other creators helped me – so I wanted to help others. I’ve replied to thousands of messages from people thinking about surgery, if I can help just one person who’s depressed or unhappy, it’s worth it.”
But losing weight so quickly brought a new challenge – loose skin.
“It was little things, like clothes fitting weird and my skin showing through, losing 9 stone in less than a year meant my body just had so much extra skin.
“People told me it wasn’t bad, but after I had it removed they admitted they hadn’t realised how much I’d actually lost. You’re your own worst critic.”
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The surgery boosted his confidence beyond belief: “It’s the first time I’ve felt confident in my own skin in my whole adult life.
“I went on holiday to Bournemouth last weekend – and swam in the sea without a T-shirt. I’ve never done that before.”
Now, underwear brands are asking him to model for them.
“Never in my life did I think that sexy underwear brands would want me modelling, let alone that I would be confident enough to say yes!”
Tariq says his life no longer revolves around food.
“I used to plan everything around eating – where we were going, what food we’d get. Now, I still enjoy meals out, but they’re not the main event.”
Tariq’s advice
His advice for anyone considering the same surgery is based on his own experience: “Do your research, especially if you’re going abroad, and follow people online who’ve done it.
“And get into a routine – eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, don’t skip meals.”
Tariq also emphasised that he is open to any messages, on his TikTok and Instagram, and wants to help anyone that needs advice.
Looking forward he also really wants to focus on building a safe space - for men in particular - to talk openly about weight loss.
“There aren’t many men speaking about this online. I want them to know they’re not alone. I was in their position once – and if I can do it, they can too.”