A Winnipeg man who has lost more than 200 pounds is trying to find funding to remove the excess skin left over from his dramatic change.

Two years ago, doctors told Chris Gair that if he did not lose weight, he wouldn’t be able to see his children grow up.

“He just basically looked at me and said, 'You’re 412 pounds, you need to lose weight or you’re going to die by the age of 36,'” said Gair.

Two years later, at the age of 29, Gair now weighs 202 pounds thanks to changing his diet and joining CrossFit in Winnipeg. According to Gair, it wasn’t always easy, especially at the beginning, and there were plenty of opportunities for him to give up.

“I went in there and started doing wall-balls,” Gair said. “I hated my life and wanted to get out of there.”

Now that he’s lost the weight, he’s stuck with excess skin and forced to wear compression shirts so that his new body can match his mindset. To get rid of the excess skin, Gair will require multiple surgeries that are expected to cost $30,000.

According to the province of Manitoba, healthcare will only cover plastic surgeries that are deemed medically necessary. The province will cover $10,000 of the procedures for rash-related skin problems, but Gair is on the hook for the rest of the money.

“They are covering a third so that’s nice,” said Gair. “But it’s frustrating that I just can’t get the whole amount covered.”

Gair has set up a GoFundMe page to get as much help as he can in making up the rest of the of the money. The page has raised more than $3,000 so far.

Gair has successfully completed one surgery, with expectations to be back in the gym within six to eight weeks. He says no matter what happens, he plans to stay healthy for his family.

With a report from CTV Winnipeg