This Father’s Day, Garry King, from Hove, East Sussex, can’t wait to join his daughters for a country walk followed by a trip to the cinema and a meal out.

They are simple pleasures that the 45 year old father of two found impossible when his weight peaked at 21 stone 7lbs five years ago, leaving him reliant on the use of a walking stick at the age of 40.

He had piled on seven stone in weight after starting a family, blaming the pressures of being a busy working parent for leaving him reliant on takeaway meals and junk food treats.

Garry King will join his daughters for a country walk in celebration of Father's Day, after losing an incredible eight stone. Unable to play with his daughters when they were young, he's now making up for lost time. Pictured: Garry at 21 stone 7lbs, left, and Gary after losing the weight, right

But his weight meant that he was too big to play with his then young daughters, and as a result he suffered depression which led him to eat more.

But after spending his 42nd birthday in A&E because of his weight, he vowed to change when medics warned his life was at risk.

Now, after losing eight stone, Garry says his life has improved beyond recognition.

He said: 'I did it for my daughters because they deserved a father who could be more active.'

Garry's weight ballooned after he and his wife had daughters Eleanor (right), 15 and Lydia (left), 12. 'We were exhausted and became reliant on junk food and ‘treating’ ourselves with takeaways,' says Garry

He continued: 'I wanted them to be proud of me and knowing they are is the greatest Father’s Day present I could ask for.

'I regret not doing it when they were younger but I hope I am making up for lost time now.’

Though trim when he first met wife Rosemarie, now 47 and a team manager, Garry's weight ballooned after they had daughters Eleanor, 15 and Lydia, 12.

He said: ‘Women say having babies makes them fat and I would argue it is the same for men too,' says the company director.

‘Our lifestyle changed dramatically when the children were born.

'We were both busy working in the day and then looking after small children in the evening, often up in the night.'

‘We were exhausted and became reliant on junk food and ‘treating’ ourselves with takeaways because we were too tired to cook.'

Oh his 42nd birthday Garry ended up in hospital with severe pains in his legs. Two operations to repair torn cartilage to his knee had failed, and he was struggling to bear the stress his weight was putting on his body. Pictured with daughter Eleanor

But it was a vicious circle for Garry whose weight gain triggered health problems.

At 5ft 8in tall, the weight was putting unbearable pressure on his knees.

By the time he turned 40, he weighed 21 stone 7lbs and was often left in such pain that he struggled to walk.

Garry said: ‘I couldn't take the kids to the park because I was in so much pain with my knees and I couldn’t take them swimming because I was too ashamed of my body.

Two operations to repair torn cartilage to his knee failed to help, and Garry's walking stick made him even less able to take part in activities with his daughters.

But the final wake up call came when he ended up in A&E on his 42nd birthday.

Medics warned Garry the only thing that would help the pain in his knees was losing weight. He was also told that being morbidly obese was putting his life at risk. It was the wake-up call he needed

He’d been to watch his local football team play and was due to meet family and friends for drinks afterwards, but the pain in his legs meant he drove straight to hospital instead.

Medics warned him the only thing that would help was losing weight.

He was also told that being morbidly obese was putting his life at risk.

'I knew it was now or never,' says Garry.

'I told my wife I meant it this time but we had a holiday booked so I got that out the way first and then started.’

He still attends weekly LighterLife meetings to maintain his weight and credits the sessions with having helped him to stay at 13 stone

His doctor advised a very low calorie diet and assured him that every pound lost would make a difference to his pain.

He had read about the LighterLife plan and contacted his local group.

Weekly counseling sessions helped him understand and tackle his issues with food, while meal packs took away any temptation.

Garry lost 13lbs in the first week and says he felt huge improvements in his knees straight away.

He said: 'Each week just got better and better.

'I could not believe the changes happening so fast.'

Before and After: Garry used to weight 21st 7lbs and had trouble moving without using a walking stick (left), now he is a trim 13 stone (right) and loves to swim, play football and take long country walks with his daughters

As the weight came off he started to make up for lost time by taking the children to activity centres.

‘I went down a slide for the first time and they cheered,' he reminisces.

He also started swimming with his daughters and joined a gym.

His counsellor taught him how to introduce foods back into his life without gaining weight.

Having lost eight stone, Garry took part in a charity football match for the first time earlier this year and says he was delighted to have his girls cheering from the sidelines

He said: 'I remember when it had been snowing, and going out with them for a snowball fight which was brilliant, but I also felt really guilty and ashamed that I had not done it before.'

Having lost eight stone Garry took part in a charity football match for the first time earlier this year and says he was delighted to have his girls cheering from the sidelines.