Big weight loss takes Del to top of the world

A grandfather is looking forward to welcoming 2017 in on top of the world after losing more than 10 stone in two years,
Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro  . Pictured with his grand children  Jaspreet Kaur (3), Harvinder Singh (2), Abhijot Singh (2 months) and Jasmeet Kaur (18 months) EMN-161017-232424009Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro  . Pictured with his grand children  Jaspreet Kaur (3), Harvinder Singh (2), Abhijot Singh (2 months) and Jasmeet Kaur (18 months) EMN-161017-232424009
Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro . Pictured with his grand children Jaspreet Kaur (3), Harvinder Singh (2), Abhijot Singh (2 months) and Jasmeet Kaur (18 months) EMN-161017-232424009

Del Singh, of Eastfield Road, will start the final part of the trek to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro as the clock strikes midnight on New Years Eve - and in the first few hours of the new year he will stand at the top of Africa’s highest mountain.

Del - who has five children and four grandchildren - now weighs 11 stone - a remarkable achievement after weighing in at a ‘morbidly obese’ 25 stone in 2014.

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Del said: “I work in IT for Oracle, and it is a very sedentary job. I went for a medical at work, and they said it was a real health issue, and I needed to lose at least eight stone.

Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232341009Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232341009
Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232341009

“I had been on diets before - I had lost weight, but I was miserable doing it, and would eventually stop, and put the weight back on,

“What brought the issue home was going to a friend’s funeral - seeing someone my age in a coffin really made me think.

“I decided to look into surgery, and had a gastric sleeve - where three quarters of the stomach is lost. I had the surgery privately on October 1 in 2014.

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“It was difficult at first - I can now only eat much smaller portions of food.

Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232402009Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232402009
Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232402009

“I have also started walking every night, and cycling.

“My kids say it is like I am dad 2.0, because I am like a new man.

“When I started this year, I said I wanted to do a challenge - something to really push the boundaries of what I could do.

“A number of people spoke about climbing Kilimanjaro. It is not quite climbing Everest, but it is still a difficult, high intesity climb.

Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232341009Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232341009
Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232341009
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“I will fly out on Boxing Day, and get just below the summit on New Year’s Eve - and start the final climb a few hours later, still at night.”

Del will be raising money for Sue Ryder’s Thorpe Hall Hospice during the climb - and will be taking part in a number of fund raising events in the lead up to the climb - starting at the Westgate branch of Lloyds TSB on Friday.

He added: “Having the surgery to lose the weight has given me a new lease of life. It is not for everyone, but I would encourage people who need to lose weight quickly to really have a look into it, speak with their family and consider it.

“I’ve spoken to a number of people about this, and given them advice and tried to help. It is not something people like to talk about, especially men, so if I can help one person then I think it will be worth it.

Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232402009Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232402009
Del Singh training for his climb of Kilimanjaro EMN-161017-232402009
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“I’m hoping this Kilimanjaro challenge will be the first of many challenges I can do. I’m not sure what I will do next year, but we will have a look. I can’t run marathons, but I can walk, and it is something I will look at.”

To sponsor Del, or to read more about his journey, visit www.bariatricman.com

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