Man Loses 16 Stone After Weight Gain And 'Lack Of Sex Drive' Led To Divorce
A man has shed an incredible 16 stone (222lbs) in just two years, after his obesity stopped him from being intimate with his wife, ultimately leading to their divorce.
Stephen Ringo from Tennessee, USA, weighed almost 30 stone (412lbs) at his heaviest. At this point, his waistline had expanded to 60 inches - only seven inches less than his height.
The 38-year-old software engineer used to be a keen power-lifter in his youth, but his appetite for fast food slowly took a devastating grip of his life.
In 2016, Mr Ringo got divorced, citing his weight gain as the reason his marriage was destroyed due to the devastating effect it had on his confidence and the couple's intimacy.
He said: "It's fair to say that my weight ruined my marriage. It was the single biggest factor.
"My relationship with my wife deteriorated as my weight crept up.
"I was depressed and as that set in intimacy kind of left. My weight drove my sex life into the ground.
"I believe my depression and lack of sex drive ultimately drove my wife away from me.
"If I had been a better husband I might have been able to pull the marriage back together.
"My weight held me back from doing so many things. Getting dressed in the morning was tough. I could hardly put on my socks.
"My ex-wife and I went on vacation to New York City in 2012 and my weight really took a toll on me. When you're in New York, there is a lot of walking involved. After a walk in Central Park I had to sit on a bench to catch my breath for a half an hour. I felt like a failure."
Mr Ringo said fast food was the primary cause of his downfall.
He said: "I never prepared meals and I usually ate fast food.
"I would usually go to McDonald's for lunch and order a Big Mac family meal, which was two Big Macs, two large fries, and two large cokes as well as 20 chicken nuggets.
"I would drive through the drive through so they might think I was ordering the meal for a family.
"After I finished I always felt so bad about myself. I hated myself."
In October 2016, having already lost his wife, Mr Ringo decided it was time to finally lose the weight. Upon returning to the gym, he was initially extremely disheartened by his lack of fitness, but he continued to workout every day and practice intermittent fasting, whereby he only ate between 5pm and 9pm.
His regime has seen his waistline shrink to 32 inches, while his confidence has grown immeasurably.
Mr Ringo said: "Losing this weight has changed my life. Something as simple as being able to put on your socks makes such a difference.
"I don't feel ready to date yet but I do think I'd be a better partner in the future. I'm so much happier in myself and I think that would make a big difference."
Hopefully Mr Ringo gets back in the game soon and finds someone to take out for a meal (between the hours of 5pm and 9pm).
