At 42, I went from fat Elvis to hot dad – and my anxiety disappeared

As told to Victoria Young.

At my worst, I looked like Elvis when he was about to die. I was 42, bloated and fat-faced, with rolls of fat coming down from my ears to my chin. I had been damaging my body for decades and the longer that goes on, the more inflammation and joint damage you create.

Yet exercise wasn’t new to me. I’ve been a black belt in karate for over 20 years. I exercised about three times a week, mostly weight training. But you can be fit and fat. Back then, I pretty much ate and drank whatever I liked. When I felt like I had put on too much weight, I would do something silly like have a packet of Parma ham for dinner.

When I was growing up, I didn’t know much about nutrition. When I was at school we all knew sweets were bad, but crisps were seen as the healthier option. And if you ate granola people thought you were a health freak.

My wife and I weren’t necessarily unhealthy eaters; it wasn’t junk food all the time. But we ate out a lot and you don’t realise what’s in the food; how many calories, how much salt. And I knew everyone at the pub and it was easy to pop in for a drink and grab some nibbles or a pizza. It’s the alcohol that goes with eating out that’s often the biggest issue and I’d often open a bottle of wine when I got home and drink beer at weekends.

My turning point came in 2015 when I was standing in the playground picking up my kids from school. Looking around at the other parents I noticed how overweight and unhealthy a lot of people looked. It wasn’t good – and suddenly I realised I was one of them. I made a decision right there that I didn’t want to be that person anymore.

I called it the “Scott to Hot 90-Day Six Pack Challenge”. I stopped drinking and started running, and began creating workouts using battle ropes in my front garden. When you want results, it helps to visualise a goal. I had a photo of Tom Hardy as my goal image.

I altered my diet and started eating clean protein, vegetables and snacking on fruit and nuts. When I started researching nutrition more deeply I came across Barry Sears in the US and his “Zone Diet”. He suggested eating six times a day and using your hand to measure portions rather than weighing food, which felt much more sustainable. I liked his approach and adapted it into something simpler and easier to follow.

Within a few weeks I could see results. As the fat came off and abdominal definition appeared, my energy and strength increased. I loved what I saw in the mirror, and that feeling brought real happiness – the opposite of starting the day by hating what you see in the mirror, which is depressing. And when you start feeling good about yourself, life changes quickly.

Physically, the real problem with excess fat is the inflammation it causes, poor posture and the stress it puts on your organs. I began to feel extremely fit and strong, and my speed improved too.

Most of us have been poisoning ourselves with poor nutrition for years. When you overeat, you tend to think about your belly rather than your brain but every cell in the body is fed by what we put into our mouths.

My cognitive function improved and I started sleeping so much better. The other amazing thing that happened was that my anxiety disappeared. I’ve always been a very anxious person and a poor sleeper. When I improved my nutrition and stopped drinking, my brain finally had what it needed and that totally changed. I could sleep properly and my anxiety levels were reduced.

Food became about balance. I knew I needed more protein, but also that meals had to be balanced with carbohydrates and fats and vegetables on the plate at the same time so your body can burn fuel efficiently.

I lost about two stone, but I don’t focus too much on the scales. It’s not about the number. It’s about how you feel – a flatter stomach, clearer skin, more strength and energy. When my body changed I felt euphoric, and even 10 years later I still feel that buzz. It created a ripple effect in the rest of my life from friendships to relationships, work and confidence.

My wife noticed the change straight away. She has always been healthy and loves yoga and she was happy that I had found something I loved, and she could see the difference in my sleep and anxiety levels. She kept touching my abs and saying, “My God.”

I blogged about my progress on Facebook – mainly to hold myself accountable. As I continued the challenge, people joined me. By the end, 19 people had reached the finish line with me and the results for all of us were incredible.

I ran another challenge a few months later and 120 people joined. After that I started charging for it. The next one had 370 people and then 680. Back then my wife would say, “You’re not going to do another one of those challenges, are you?” because in the early days I was doing everything on my own.

Two years later I decided to leave my job, running a double glazing company. I could see how effective it was and I was doing something I absolutely loved. I qualified as a personal trainer and started learning about nutrition. I am studying psychology and now have various diplomas.

I developed what is now a 75-day programme focusing on fitness, nutrition, mindset, strength and resilience. It costs £149 and people of all abilities take part but the biggest group tends to be men and women aged 35 to 55 who feel like they’ve developed a “mum or dad bod”. More than 100,000 people in 92 countries have now taken part, and lots of families do it together.

I have around 180 people working with me; a world-class team that understands all aspects of nutrition and training – who all started out as participants. And I haven’t had a day off in 10 years – because it doesn’t feel like work.

It isn’t just about food and exercise; it’s also about mindset and changing people’s relationship with food, drink and themselves. We teach people how to maintain their results and still enjoy life with occasional treats if they want to.

I still have the odd curry with friends or go to the cinema with the kids and share a bag of Haribo and on holiday I do what I like. I don’t get drunk anymore: I do drink sometimes but after a couple of drinks I’m usually done. My health is still the number one priority and I’m probably fitter now than most people half my age.

My day in food and movement

I exercise five days a week. I mainly focus on weight training, mixing heavy sessions with high-rep sessions. I work with two personal trainers because I like being told what to do and being held accountable. I always train in the morning and afterwards I have a protein shake to replenish my muscles.

I eat six times a day, roughly every two to four hours (two meals, two shakes and two hearty snacks). It doesn’t matter what order the meals come in; the key is balance throughout the day.

A typical meal might be salmon and goji berry curry, or a tuna wrap with coconut, lime and avocado.

I also have two meal replacement shakes during the day, usually for breakfast or late afternoon, and two snacks such as a protein bar with dates, almonds and cacao powder, overnight oats or an omelette with tomatoes, basil and only a teaspoon of olive oil.

I drink about four litres of water. If I drink I’ll have a cold beer rather than stronger drinks like wine or spirits.