Looking smokin'! Firefighter who tipped the scales at more than 17.5st unveils his ripped physique after swapping pizza for protein and gym sessions to shed 4st in just six months
- Antony Baines, from Beverley, Hull, shed 4st in six months with intense training
- Firefighter passed physical requirements, but miserable when weighing 17st 8lb
- Wanted to look like a calendar firefighter and reach peak health to do better job
- Now sizzles with chiselled abs and feels confident about doing his job
A firefighter who was self-conscious about his looks has revealed how he shed 4st in just six months.
Looking in the mirror used to make Antony Baines, 35, from Beverley, Hull, miserable when he tipped the scales at 17st 8lb after piling on the pounds during lockdown.
The firefighter was fit enough to do his job, but felt he wasn't at peak health to save lives and longed to look like the typical firefighters from the sexy calendars.
After six months of hard grind at the gym and swapping calorific meals for protein-based alternatives, Antony now boasts a chiselled six-pack, toned arms and has shed an impressive 4 stone, now weighing 13 stone 8lbs.
Before, pictured left, Antony was fit enough to do his job, but didn't feel confident in his looks; Now, right, he's reached peak health
Firefighter Antony Baines, 35, from Beverley, Hull, revealed how he lost 4 stone in just six months, going rom 17st 8lbs to 13st 8lbs. The firefighter, pictured before his transformation, felt self-conscious about his looks
The 35-year-old says that he looked in the mirror one morning and was unhappy with the reflection looking back at him and was conscious of the fact he wasn't as fit as some of his colleagues in the fire department.
Antony added: 'I realised just how miserable I was with the way that I looked.'I stepped on the scales and I weighed 17st 8lbs.
'I wanted to have a body like the guys on the cover of Men's Health magazine or like the muscular men that you see in firefighter calendars.
Antony, pictured before, wanted to be leaner and build muscle. He put in the work, exercising up to three times a day and swapping pizzas for a protein-based diet
'Being a firefighter means that I need to be as fit as I can possibly be now so that I can last throughout my career until I am 60.
'I need to be able to run up and down flights of stairs, carry people and all of our heavy equipment.
'As a firefighter, we all eat together and we eat big meals.
'So I just got used to huge portion sizes and I just started eating big meals all of the time and the weight piled on.
'I'd never struggled to pass the fitness test at work but I was very unhappy and was losing confidence in myself at work.
Antony and his wife before his transformation. The action man said he wanted to be in peak health condition to do his job for longer and save lives
'We'd have rowing competitions and I would shy away because I knew I wouldn't do as well because I wasn't as fit as the other people at work.
'I became miserable in my job and I knew I needed to do something about it to turn my life around.'
Within six months of his journey, Antony lost an impressive 4st, but he knew he wouldn't be happy until he had a visible six-pack.
After the lockdown hit and gaining a few pounds, Antony decided to start an intense boot camp with others to motivate himself and achieve his dream body once and for all.
Now, Antony feels confident about his looks and his performance at work. After piling on the pounds during lockdown, he put himself through a strict bootcamp
The firefighter would indulge in pizzas and peanut butter, but he now eats more healthily. Pictured: a crepe with a salad that Antony typically eats for lunch
He said: 'From February to June I ran and took part in a body transformation camp to finally achieve my ideal body.
'I dropped pizzas for protein shakes and some days exercised around three times a day.
'Pizza and biscuits were my downfall.
'I'd wear clothes that were too big for my to hide my body because I was so miserable and lacked confidence.
'But since turning my life around and completing my transformation I am so much happier.
Chiselled: the firefighter sneaks a peak of his jaw-dropping abs. Antony said working on his fitness alleviated some of the performance anxiety he suffered from at work
Antony doesn't worry about carrying his heavy equipment up flights of stairs anymore and said he recently was the first one of us to make it to the 13th floor of a building
'I can wear whatever I want and feel comfortable.
'I am in a far better place mentally too and I am fitter than I have ever been in my life.
Since dropping 4st and gaining muscles, Antony is far more confident at work.
He says that his day to day performance at work is infinity better since his transformation.
Antony added: 'I am not afraid to take part in the rowing competitions and I know that I won't be struggling with tasks as work.
The firefighter felt he needed a change after putting on weight during lockdown, left. He now feels like he is more in control of his life
Antony said his confidence has 'skyrocketed' after his weight loss and that he's learned not to 'eat his feelings' anymore
'I can run up flights of stairs in high rise buildings whiles carrying the equipment on my back without the anxiety of being slow.
'Recently at work, I was the first one of us to make it to the 13th floor of a building and I even went back down a couple of flights to help the others carrying the equipment up.
'It made me feel great and so proud of myself.
Pictured: a protein pancake and chicken recipe the firefighter made for lunch. Before, he would have turned to a shop-bought chicken sandwich
'I just feel far more in control of my life and I have learnt better coping mechanisms for when things get tough.
'I've learnt that I don't need to turn to food and eat my feelings anymore.
'And my confidence has skyrocketed knowing that I will be able to withstand the length of my career as a firefighter.'
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