A man who couldn't walk a metre without struggling to breathe has lost 26 stone and proudly shows off his excess skin. <br /><br />Michael Mehler, 38, realised he needed to lose weight after he was unable to walk a metre without huffing and puffing. <br /><br />Tipping the scales at 41st 8lbs and bursting out of a 10XL shirt and 74-inch waist, Michael knew "enough was enough".<br /><br />He underwent bariatric sleeve surgery, at the Helios Clinic in Oberhausen, in February 2020 and quickly lost 3st 9lbs - before taking up exercise. <br /><br />Michael started training six times a week for three to four hours a day and has lost 25st 1lbs.<br /><br />He now weighs 16st 6lbs and can slip into a size XXL with ease and is able to walk with ease.<br /><br />Michael, a warehouse worker, from Velbert, Germany, said: "It was about three-and-a-half years ago that I realised that I need to lose weight.<br /><br />"I couldn't walk a metre without losing my breath and getting sweaty.<br /><br />"It truly was a horrible experience and I thought I would die, even my blood pressure was going through the roof.<br /><br />"I'm no longer depressed. I no longer have so much anxiety due to the treatment of my tumour. But of course, I also feel much more comfortable in my body now. <br /><br />"I hope that if the skin surgery comes little by little, I feel even more comfortable there because the hanging skin already burdens me a lot.<br /><br />Michael started losing weight in February 2020 when he struggled to complete every day tasks - like walking around and getting up the stairs.<br /><br />After he realised something needed to change, Michael underwent bariatric sleeve surgery - where a large part of the stomach is removed so it's much smaller than it was before. <br /><br />Michael said: "After this, the true weight loss journey began.<br /><br />"I began to train six times a week for three to four hours.<br /><br />"At the start, I would do two hours of weight training and two hours of cardio training.<br /><br />"I experienced the most drastic weight loss after changing my diet and working out regularly."<br /><br />At his largest, Michael weighed 41st 8lbs and was wearing 10XL shirts and 74-inch waist trousers. <br /><br />Now he proudly wears XXL shirts and has slimmed down to a 34-inch waist.<br /><br />Michael is hoping to have surgery to remove his excess skin. <br /><br />The operation will take place on May 15, 2023, when his excess skin will be removed.<br /><br />Unfortunately, Michael's health insurance doesn't cover the operation so he has set up a GoFundMe to raise money for the procedure.<br /><br />After his weight loss surgery, Michael said he experienced the most drastic change when he adopted a healthier diet.<br /><br />He said: "I changed my diet and started working out regularly.<br /><br />"When I was big, I ate six to eight bread rolls for breakfast with marmalade, Nutella and typically German cold cuts. <br /><br />"My lunch included two pizzas and one doner kebab and in the evening I ate four to six hamburgers from a fast food chain. <br /><br />"Now I eat 100g porridge with 40 grams of whey and an assortment of berries in the morning.
