At his peak weight, 42-year-old Manuel Uribe tipped the scales at 88 stone. He lived on a steady diet of pizzas, burgers, chips and fizzy drinks while working as a TV repair man in America. He returned to Mexico and made things even worse by eating tacos and fried food.

Uribe’s life grew steadily worse as his wife left him and doctors warned him that his health was at serious risk. His ballooning weight rendered him bedridden in 2002 and he was forced to rely on his mother and friends to feed and clothe him. He made a plea for help on Mexican television and became an unlikely celebrity when his status as the world's heaviest man was confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records.

Dedication's what you need

In March 2006, Uribe began cutting out junk food in favour of a diet of fruit, vegetables, fish, chicken and omelettes. He rejected an offer of gastric bypass surgery preferring to lose the weight through healthy eating. American doctor Barry Sears advised him to follow the Zone Diet which is high in protein and low in carbohydrates.

Two years into his life-saving diet, Manuel Uribe has shed 37 stones and his success has persuaded him to aim to slim down further to a relatively svelte 20 stones by 2010. If he succeeds, his overall weight loss of 68 stones would surpass the world slimming record currently held by American Rosalie Bradford who lost 52.5 stones in the early 1990s.