Stories of personal triumphs don’t always start with success—they often start with setbacks and failure. For an obese New Yorker, it was being told in front of everyone that he was too big to get on a roller coaster.
39-year-old Brian Clegg says he has struggled with his weight his whole life.
At his heaviest, he weighed 409 lbs. and endured significant pain just walking around. Describing himself as a “stress eater,” he would often relegate meal times to a bag of fast food or sugary snacks.
But years of suffering from the consequences of overeating, a poor diet, and a sedentary life couldn’t compare to the disappointment he felt last year on a trip to Coney Island when he was told he couldn’t get on a roller coaster because of his massive size.
This year Brian made it his mission to shed the weight, and has since lost 135 lbs. in 11 months, mostly by cutting out sugar and fast food, and starting an exercise program at the gym even though it was just 5 minutes per day.
“I couldn’t live life,” said the native of New Windsor, NY.
“I had things that I wanted to accomplish but I was wondering how long I was going to live. I started going to the gym three times a week,” he told SWNS. “I was only able to do the StairMaster for five minutes on level one.”
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In the last 11 months, Clegg has gone from wearing XXXXXL shirts to XXL, from a 52-inch waist to just 42 inches, and from 5 minutes at level 1 to one hour on level 10 on the StairMaster.
He was even able to fulfill his dream of getting on a roller coaster at Coney Island in October 2024.
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“I have gone on a roller coaster for the first time, climbed mountains, and skyscrapers and I go on lots of walks.”
Clegg says he feels “energized and happy” and that he hopes to inspire others who are struggling with their weight.
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