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He was a typical Jack the lad, joining in when his friends ogled girls as they walked by.

Full of bravado, Ben Gunns boasted about his sexual exploits with the women he dated.

Except behind closed doors it was a different matter.

And whenever the topic came up, he'd tell pals that two men together made him feel sick.

But Ben, now 22, was only deceiving himself.

As a teenager, his struggle with his sexuality led him into a downward spiral of depression and binge eating and drinking. By the age of 20, he tipped the scales at 20 stone and was almost morbidly obese.

"I was living a lie and trying so hard to cover up my sexuality,' said Ben. "I felt so ashamed of being gay.

"I was comfort eating and drinking to excess every weekend to blot out those feelings.

"I was always a bit chubby growing up but it was during sixth form, when I really felt the pressure to get a girlfriend, that my weight got out of control.

"Then it became a vicious cycle. I was unhappy with the way I looked and reached for more quick fixes with food and booze."

Ben, from Bromley, south east London, was 16 when he realised he was homosexual.

"When my mates were gawping at girls, I just didn't get it. I was looking at the boys.

"I thought to myself, 'Why me? Why do I have to be gay? I felt I would just fit in with the world easier if I was straight.

"So I joined in, saying "Phwoar, look at her" and all that. I was quite the lad at school but it was all just a charade.

"I didn't mean to be homophobic, but I'd say how two guys together was disgusting as a cover.

"I came from a traditional family and deep down I was scared of being rejected by people.

"The world is so much more accepting of gay people nowadays but that means nothing if you can’t accept it yourself."

Ben even had relationships with two girls to cover up his true sexuality.

"I wouldn't say they made me feel sick, but it certainly didn't feel right," he explained.

"Let's just say getting physical with them wasn't happening. They were confused and asking me why and I kept blaming being tired or the booze.

"After realising I was gay at 16 for the following four years I literally didn't tell a soul.

"I just hoped I would wake up one day and it would go away, but it doesn't work like that!"

But the pretense was eating away at Ben and taking a huge toll on his waistline.

"I was wolfing down huge portions of pasta loaded with cheese and lots of bread," said Ben. "I was constantly snacking on crisps and sandwiches.

"But my real downfall was pints and pints of beer each and every weekend. I was drinking to forget who I really was."

Eventually, aged 20, Ben snapped during an argument with his mother and shouted "I'm gay!"

"I told mum that she didn't know what I was going through and she kept pestering me until I blurted it out.

"She burst out crying because of the shock. She's totally fine about it.

"I text my dad to tell him and he gave me a hug and told me he loved me no matter what.

"Some friends did shun me but I’ve realised that people who can behave like that were never worth knowing in the first place.

"On the whole, the majority of my friends and family have been really supportive. It was myself who had the problem and who need to accept my sexuality."

Once Ben had come to terms with being gay, he felt ready to combat his weight.

He cleaned up his diet by cutting out processed junk food.

Breakfast was typically fruit with a low fat yoghurt and green tea. Lunch would be tuna salad with a low-calorie dressing and for dinner he would fill up on a large plate of vegetables with fish, chicken or beef.

He drank 'tonnes' of water and cut back on alcohol, swapping beer for vodka and soda.

Ben was overjoyed when the pounds started falling off. Gym sessions three times a week kept his weight loss going.

To stay on track, he then began the Jane Plan, a diet delivery service that delivers read-made breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks straight to your door.

"It's really convenient – there’s no weighing or counting calories. I love the fact that you don't have to make any decisions. It's all tasty stuff and I don't feel denied at all."

Ben says his five-stone weight loss has transformed his life.

"It's so great to get compliments when people haven't seen you for ages.

"I have ambitions to become a TV presenter. When I was obese I wouldn't have tried.

"But now I'm working freelance researching and transcribing. I'm behind the scenes but now I have the confidence to work on getting in front of the camera.’

Ben has some stubborn fat he's been struggling to lose off his 'moobs' – or man boobs – and has had a consultation for liposuction.

He hasn't had a 'proper' relationship yet with a man but now feels ready to meet someone.

"I'm quite young so I’m in no rush to settle down but I would like a boyfriend. Now I feel so much more self-assured not just about my body but most importantly about who I am as a person."