‘I had to lose weight or end up in a box': Cork chef is 'a new man' after losing 5 stone

Chef Noel O’Driscoll never believed in bringing his work home with him - and that was why he ended up putting on weight.

“I couldn’t bear the thought of having to start cooking again from scratch at home after my day’s work,” says Noel, 57, from Midleton. "I couldn’t go through the whole process again.

“So I always made sure I stopped at the chipper on the way home from work for chips, burgers - the works.”

Is that why his weight crept up to over 21 stone?

“That would have done it all right,” says Noel, who decided to do something about it.

Now, he is facing into 2025 five stone lighter and much fitter, and has no more aches and pains in his joints as a result of being overweight.

“I was 20 years on blood pressure tablets,” says Noel. “Now I am practically off the meds.

“I had pains in my joints, and I had cellulitis. I took tablets for my stomach, which I no longer have to. I don’t build up acid in my stomach any more.

“Being so overweight affected my health. I was into fast food, Taytos, chocolate, pizza. I never ate at work, but I made up for it when I was at home. Going to the chipper every evening was a hard habit to break.”

Noel was always on the heavy side and admits: “I am very easy-going and never cared about other people’s opinions of me, which is one of the reasons I let myself go.

“I tried a lot of different things over the years, including ordering slimming tablets online and a number of fad diets.”

Did anything help to shift the weight?

“I’d lose a bit of weight from time to time, but it was never sustainable,” says Noel.

However, he found the Slimming World plan sustainable, and it worked for him.

“You are told not to get hungry,” says Noel. “That was unusual! I was told to try to stick to the plan and the careful guidelines, and still enjoy food. I got into it, and it began to work for me.”

Noel began to feel better as he shed the weight with the help of his friends at Slimming World Midleton.

“I always felt unwell, you know?” says Noel. “I was in the prime of my life and I never felt well. I was always tired and any sicknesses doing the rounds, I picked them up - colds, flu, etc. I generally felt unwell.”

That has all changed now he is five stone lighter.

“I have more energy now,” says Noel. “I have a new zest for life. I didn’t think losing weight would affect me so much.”

Although easy-going, he did care about what his wife, Mairead, thought of him. “She’s delighted!” says Noel. “She was always on at me to do something about my weight over the years. Now I have.”

His opinion of himself has changed.

“When I look at myself in the mirror, it hits home,” says Noel.

“Losing so much weight, I didn’t realise the impact it had on my life until it hit me. I was a 38 to 40 size waist. Now I am a 34 waist.”

He says the turnaround is amazing.

“I spent all last summer walking. Before, I would have looked upon walking as a chore. Now I don’t get out of breath. I find walking pleasurable, and I enjoy it. The turnaround going to Slimming World for a year and a half is amazing.”

What did Noel weigh in at a year and a half ago?

“I weighed in at 21 stone, 3 pounds. The week before I joined Slimming World, I weighed myself at home and I was 21 stone 8 pounds. My target was to get down to 15 stone.

“All told, I have lost five stone, 8 pounds, and by the end of January I hope to reach my target.”

Noel’s new look has hit the spot.

“My hobby is motor biking,” he says. “I had a leather waistcoat I always wore out riding the bike. It was 5XL. XL does me now!”

Noel feels good himself now.

“Waking up not tired or drained is the best incentive for me,” he says. “I feel so much better both mentally and physically.”

Noel, in it together with his Slimming World friends, adds: “I did this for me. It worked. The support at Slimming World is unbelievable. We help each other out. We are a good old group.

“Even if you have a bad week, the members perk you up and give you friendly advice. Our leader Ann Marie is brilliant.”

Noel says 2025 will be his year.

“I am slim, trim and brimful of energy,” he says. “I got Christmas jumpers as gifts over the years they were always too tight on me.”

This time, things were different.

“I put on one of the jumpers at Christmas and it fitted me perfectly!”

It’s not a case of one size fits all when it comes to losing weight.

“You need willpower and a good support structure,” says Noel.

And you need to call a halt to some things.

“My pals and I go out on our motorbikes on Wednesday evenings in the summer,” says Noel. “We called it the ‘chipper run’.”

He still goes along for the ride., but adds: “Except I don’t eat anything from the chipper! While the lads are tucking in, I have my coffee.”

That takes will-power.

“Yes, it does,” says Noel. “My thinking is that I put so much work into this, that I’m not going back to bad habits, and I’m definitely not going back to the way I felt when I weighed over 21 stone.”

Noel feels like a new man.

“I am a new man and I’m grateful for it,” says Noel. “It came to a stage where I had to lose weight or end up in a box.”

Noel is staying on the right road.

“Nothing interferes with my Thursday night Slimming World meetings. I told them at work I was not available Thursday evenings.”

Noel, over five stone lighter, has ended up being an inspiration to many.

“I’m not one for the limelight,” he says. “But if my story helps anyone else to lose weight and feel a lot better, than that’s a great job done.”