A secret sandwich addict who didn't leave the house for five years can now finally take his son to school - after losing more than 20 stone. Former scaffolder Ian Whitmore, 46, didn’t leave his home for five years when his weight ballooned to 35st and he could no longer walk upstairs - after scoffing 12 sandwiches every day.
The dad-of-two broke his shoulder in an accident at work in April 2004 and was forced to leave his job after developing COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. While recovering at home he steadily piled on the pounds while gorging on a diet of 12 ham or bacon sandwiches a day - going through a loaf of bread - as well as crisps, pork pies and greasy takeaways.
Ian would regularly wake up and binge on six sandwiches, a packet of family-size Doritos and a Pot Noodle in the early hours of the morning. At his heaviest he was consuming 7,000 calories a day, including a whole loaf of refined white bread and a French baguette stick - and he eventually developed diabetes in 2018.
Ian became so large that his family were forced to fit a wet room and medical bed downstairs in their home as he couldn't physically climb up the stairs. He revealed his greatest incentive to lose the weight was for his children - Courtney, 16 and Elwood, nine - after his son was diagnosed with autism and ADHD in February 2021. Ian kick started his lifestyle overhaul in January 2021 and by April 2022 had managed to lose more than 20 stone.
Ian, currently unemployed - who is married to, Debbie Marie-Whitmore, 47, a carer - from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, said: “I used to go on a binge at 2am in the morning after a couple of hour’s sleep. “I’d finish off something like six sandwiches, a family-sized bag of Doritos and a Pot Noodle all in one sitting.
“I was trying to hide it from my family - I felt so ashamed but I couldn’t stop myself. It was horrible - depression and anxiety kicked in and I basically lived on my sofa watching TV for years.
“But when my son was diagnosed, everything changed and I lost all the weight by restricting my calorie intake to 1,200 calories a day. My life five years ago is a complete 180 degrees different to what it is today.
“It’s hard to put into words. I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved.’’
Ian was forced to retire from work in April 2004 after a 21ft scaffolding pole fell and landed on his shoulder. Being unable to move around, the doting dad quickly piled on the pounds - going from 16 stone and a size 2XL to 36 stone and a size 8XL over the course of a decade.
On top of secret binges, the former scaffolder was regularly chowing down on takeaways, pork pies, pasties, crisps and ‘anything fried’. In the space of 10 years, his weight had more than doubled and he struggled to live a normal life with his family.
Ian said: “I essentially became a recluse. I was so tired that I had no energy to play with the kids as I couldn’t do anything. It put a strain on my marriage as my wife had to do everything for the children and then help shower and dress me.”
