Northern Irish snooker player Mark Allen has revealed that his dramatic weight-loss journey began when a close friend gave him a 'harsh' talking to over the state of his health
The Antrim snooker star lost close to five stone in the space of four months after speaking with family and friends over his unhealthy lifestyle.
Belfast Live reports that Allen spoke with icon of the sport Ronnie O'Sullivan and his partner Aideen after "not feeling good in myself".
READ MORE: Mark Allen's incredible weight loss as he loses in British Open final
But it was the words of a close friend which put his deteriorating health into context.
"I had conversations with my partner Aideen and just said that I wasn't feeling good in myself," Allen told the BBC.
"I felt heavy, not healthy when I was playing snooker.
"One of my friends said he worried about me getting too big, too unhealthy, and said if you keep going the way you are going, then you're not going to be able to walk your daughter down the aisle.
"It was harsh but exactly what I needed to hear. Literally two days later I started eating better and instantly changing everything.
"The first six to eight weeks were really hard as it involved a total change when it came to eating.
"There were times last year when given my size I was uncomfortable on some of my shots, I couldn't reach certain shots and, because I play at a fast pace, I could feel it on my breathing. It should help my game."
Allen will start the defence of the Northern Ireland Open at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Sunday.
The Antrim cue star believes he will have to contend with a "different kind of pressure" after winning his home tournament 12 months ago.
"I am usually a bundle of nerves because I want to do well for other people rather than myself, as is the case at other tournaments," he added
"That pressure should be gone now and I should have nothing to prove to the people of Northern Ireland that I can play.
"I just want to go there and enjoy the experience of being defending champion, hopefully that will take the pressure off and I can do well.
"It [the tournament win] came out of the blue last year because I wasn't in a good place. It wasn't a nice time.
"I don't know where Belfast came from as I was going through a dark time. It was just a really trying time."
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