A FORMER call centre worker lost six stone after swapping a diet of pints of lager and packets of crisps for a new super-healthy lifestyle.

Harry Woodall, 24, is now a fitness fanatic and has even set up his own business on the back of his self-made success story.

But it is a far cry from a few years ago, when Harry ballooned to 18 stone by eating rubbish, drinking too much alcohol and doing no exercise.

He has now transformed himself into a personal trainer and is inspiring others, like friend Clare McMcCurdy, to follow in his footsteps.

Harry, of James Watt Way in Greenock, said: “I was sitting at a desk, answering a phone all day and eating rubbish.

“My moment came when I was in the Oak Mall with friends and we decided to stand on a set of scales. All my friends went on and the arrow stopped at 12 to 13 stone but when I went on it just kept going round and round until it reached 18.

“I knew then that I had to do something about it.” Harry immediately set about changing by joining the gym — and he quickly caught the fitness bug.

He was soon joining up for every class going and started to see his efforts pay off. In only nine months he was weighing in at a healthy 12 stones, but more than that he had found a whole new way of life.

Harry added: “I decided that working in a call centre, sitting at a desk just wasn’t for me. It was depressing me so I went to college to study an HNC in fitness, health and exercise. Losing weight has changed my life beyond all recognition.” It was while doing the course that Harry then became interested in nutrition.

He now hopes to use his own experience to give others the drive to take control and change their lives — and has opened up a base in Dellingburn Street and teamed up with a nutritionist to come up with his own food plan.

One of his early converts is pal Clare, who has had the benefit of Harry’s help to change her life after a chance meeting at a party.

Primary school teacher Clare, 30, of James Watt Way, said: “I have always struggled with my weight — I spent my life eating takeaways and sitting on a couch watching TV. I tried every diet going but nothing seemed to work.” Clare eventually tipped the scales at 18 stone and was wearing a size 24 in clothes when she met Harry and her life changed forever. The teacher is fully signed up to a healthy lifestyle and is now a trim 11 stone thanks to a diet of good food and plenty of exercise.

She said: “It has really changed my life. I had absolutely no self confidence but all that has changed. I met Harry and he told me his story, he said to me to let him help me and I have never looked back.” Fitness fan Clare has dropped eight dress sizes and now steps out as a trendy. svelte size 10.

She told the Tele: “I love exercise and it has even helped me as a teacher. I work in a school in Renfrewshire and for a class project the kids all learned how to be a personal trainer and now they are helping their parents get fit.”