by Johnny Moore
When Pompey kitman Kevin McCormack tried to pick up a five-stone weight he realised just what he had been putting his heart through.
The former Royal Marine and Commonwealth boxer has been shedding weight for the past four months and now checks in at a more slimline 18st 2lb.
Compare that to the 23st 6lbs he weighed 17 weeks ago when he took up his own personal challenge.
Since then a combination of pounding the streets and eating the right food has led to an altogether healthier and slimmer Fratton kitman.
Speaking about meeting the challenge, McCormack said: “It was all put into perspective at Slimming World when, having lost five stone, I was asked to pick up the equivalent of that in weight.
“If anyone has ever tried picking up five stone it will bring home just how heavy that is.
“The woman at Slimming World said that if she was my boss and made me pull five stone around in a rucksack all day I would be perfectly justified in having the human resources department onto her.
“That really made me realise what I had been carrying around, how much harder my heart was having to work because of it and explained why having lost it I had so much more energy.
“I run every morning but have cut out things like bread, potatoes and pints of beer.
“You can still eat plenty but it’s all about eating the right food and cutting out the snacks in between.
“Particularly on a matchday I found myself snacking on sandwiches and chocolate, and if you do that every week the weight piles on.
“Now the hard work is keeping it off – and if I could take off another stone I would be happy.
“I’m 44 with two young kids and it’s the time of life where you start thinking about these things.
“I could have a heart attack regardless of what I do, but I do feel that I’ve greatly reduced the risk.”
And for his next trick at the start of next season McCormack will go head to head with former Pompey keeper Alan Knight in an effort to cut out smoking.