'I lost astonishing 25st and friends no longer recognise me – but it's come at a cost'

Cole Prochaska, from Columbia, South Carolina, used to weigh 42 stone and wear size 8XL clothes after living on meals like McDonald's breakfasts, burgers and pizza

A man who has lost an astonishing 25 stone is now facing the hefty price tag of £230,000 to remove his excess skin.

Cole Prochaska once tipped the scales at a massive 42 stone. He wore 8XL garments, feasted on McDonald's breakfasts, pizzas, burgers, and guzzled down at least two litres of fizzy drinks daily.

By ditching the fast food for salads, lean meats, protein shakes, and embracing walking, he's managed to drop a life-changing 25 stone in just two years, now fitting into a size 1XL.

The 40-year-old from Columbia, South Carolina, is thrilled with his transformation but admits that his journey is far from complete.

He's looking at costly surgeries, including three separate procedures to tackle excess skin around his arms, back, legs, stomach, and chest.

"It really affects my confidence and mental health," Cole said. "I worked really hard and I can still see the leftovers of that fat guy.

"I still can't go to the beach or pool, and I don't take my shirt off. A lot of my weight is the skin. It weighs at least one stone. It's really killing me. I can't run because it slaps around. It's aggravating."

His battle with weight began at the age of six after a stressful house move. As a teenager, Cole's eating habits deteriorated further; he would have meals prepared by his mum and indulge in sweets, crisps, and fizzy drinks.

He continued: "My mum and dad worked so we just had whatever they could make."

The asset protection investigator first started putting weight on when he was just six years old following a stressful house move.

Cole's diet got worse as he became a teenager when he would eat meals cooked by his mum before snacking on sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks.

He said: "We had tacos, burgers and always did pizza and movie Fridays." Cole found solace in food in the years that followed, and as an adult, he would indulge in takeaways and meals loaded with saturated fats.

At his heaviest, Cole was unable to fit on a rollercoaster or into a restaurant booth. He confessed: "I was getting bigger and bigger. Food was my comfort. Pizza was my favourite. I liked cakes, sweets, crisps and junk food.

"I used to eat until I went to sleep and I weighed more than the scales could measure. It affected my health; I couldn't get up the stairs without getting out of breath.

"I couldn't fit on a rollercoaster or into a booth at a restaurant, and I just had to hope that chairs would hold me up. My feet hurt so bad and they were swollen.

"I didn't want to go out and be seen. I lived my life hoping I wouldn't die." In 2021, Cole made the decision to change his life, spurred by the fear of being diagnosed with diabetes.

His seven-year relationship also ended, prompting him to declare enough was enough. Cole revealed: "I was trying to save my relationship by losing weight but I ended up saving myself.

"People in my family have diabetes and I didn't want to end up that way as well. I didn't want diabetes or die and leave a legacy being this guy who is funny but never took care of his health."

Adopting a one-day-at-a-time strategy, Cole began by eliminating sugary drinks and junk food from his diet and started taking regular walks.

He began incorporating full-body workouts and muscle lifts into his routine. However, he credits his friends and family for their unwavering support and belief in him.

Cole shared: "I started walking and moving a little bit more every day. I started eating better and stopped snacking on crisps and chocolate, as well as cut back on bread and sugar.

"Salads became my main meal. I learned more about food and joined a gym. It’s very hard joining the gym as a bigger man. You assume that everyone is looking at you and sometimes they are but they’re happy to see you there.

“I do full body splits, combo lifts and I slowly added more muscle specific lifts. Now, my health and life is amazing. It's getting better every day. People respect you more when you're in shape.

“I used to get comments about my size all the time. I tried not to show that it hurt to hear. In public, people would call me fat. Kids are the worst because they say whatever they’re thinking.

“A kid would point and say ‘look how big that guy is’ and that really bothered me inside.”

Since shedding the weight, old school mates and colleagues have walked past Cole in the street without recognising him.

He added: "My friends and family are so proud and happy for me. They've always been supportive. I've walked past people I went to school with or used to work with and they will walk straight by."

“I stop them and they’ll say they didn’t even know it was me.” Cole is on a mission to raise around £85,000 ($100,000) to help cover the costs of his surgery.

He's considering launching another fundraiser to gather the remaining funds needed. He shared: "Anyone can do this and I'm proof of that. It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change."

"Life's only getting better for me and I can't wait to have my skin cut off."

Diet before

Breakfast: Skipped or indulged in a McDonald's double sausage sandwich with egg, cheese and hash browns.

Lunch: Often skipped lunch.

Dinner: Would devour two burgers with fries, or one and a half large pizzas.

Snacks: Consumed two litres of fizzy drinks, sweets, and a share-size bag of crisps.

Diet after

Breakfast: Skips breakfast.

Lunch: Now opts for a protein shake, lean beef, burger steak with potatoes and carrots.

Dinner: Eats eggs, lean beef, chicken.

Snacks: Treats himself to a Rice Krispie treat or a protein yoghurt.

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