An IT manager, who is on a mission to lose around 25 per cent of his body weight, started a YouTube channel to chart the challenge and share his experiences with others.

Anthony Maxwell, who lives in Altrincham, was more than 20 stone when he started The Diet Diaries.

The idea came from a trip to Mexico at the end of last year, when Anthony wanted to make travel videos like the ones he had watched in lockdown with his partner Glen.

But despite investing in expensive equipment, he was too self-conscious to step in front of the camera.

Anthony said: "My life was a cycle of low self-esteem, depression, overeating, rejection and back to low self-esteem, combined with what became a smorgasbord of health issues, including high blood pressure.

"Coupled with the fact that I was unable to do pursue my ambition of sharing stories online as a content creator due to my crippling confidence issues, and I knew that I could no longer carry on the way I was.

"It was a real trigger – something had to change."

Rather than travel videos, Anthony decided to start a diet called the Jane Plan and document it instead.

A few months and more than three stone later, he is well on the way to his target of 15 and a half stone.

He has also attracted hundreds of subscribers to The Diet Diaries.

Anthony said: "It started out as a record for me, but as my audience grew so did my confidence.

"I am humbled by the knowledge people are taking time out of their day to watch my content."

Anthony and Glen are planning trip to Benidorm, where the pair will eat at the resort's best and worst three restaurants according to TripAdvisor. They are marrying in Las Vegas in April next year.

To follow along with them, go to youtube.com/TheDietDiaries.


This article was written by Jack Tooth. Jack is the reporter for The Messenger and covers anything and everything from within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford.

To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.