AT HIS heaviest, he couldn’t fit through a doorway without turning sideways. At work he had to enter the building through the double doors meant for wheelchair users and everywhere he went he had to carry along his own special chair to support his weight.
For years, Rudolph Wolker was deeply ashamed of his body and at his heftiest, he tipped the scales at a whopping 320kg.
Yet over the course of 18 months, he lost a staggering 220kg. By eating healthily and getting moderate exercise, Rudolph managed to sustain his weight for a year.
But then the hard lockdown hit in March last year and he gained more than 60kg in a matter of months.
“Just like before, I was disgusted with the image in the mirror – and I was furious with myself,” Rudolph (41) tells YOU.
By late last year he recommitted himself to losing the lockdown love handles. And it’s working! He’s shed 20kg and now weighs just over 140kg.
The prison guard from Potchefstroom has come a long way from the man who used to consume up to 20 two-litre bottles of fizzy cooldrink a week.
Three years ago, doctors predicted he wouldn’t make it to 40. He had heart problems, his blood pressure was perilously high and he was on chronic pain medication just to be able to walk on his swollen legs.
His 10XL shirts and size 60 pants had to be custom-made – and the taunts and stares from strangers were mortifying.
“I knew I was killing myself with food,” Rudolph says.
“But every time I was down, I’d simply reach for food again.”
Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 4 March 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye YOU South Africa dergisinin 4 March 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!
Kourtney Kardashian and other celebs are honouring the glory of new moms' postpartum bodies
LEON'S ORDEAL IS NO JOKE
Pain has dominated entertainer Leon Schuster's life after a serious back injury landed him in bed. But despite being depressed he remains hopeful he will recover so he can get back to work
'BREAK THE SILENCE'
That's the message of the Scottish comedian who turned his experience of stalking and sexual abuse into a hit Netflix show
A PLACE OF HOPE AND HEALING
Damaged people and abused dogs find a safe haven and a chance to start again at this farm in the Cape Winelands
FROM SPERM DONOR TO DAD OF 37
Peter Ellenstein's life took an unexpected turn when a message from a daughter he never knew he had led to him meeting dozens of his children and exploring what it means to be a father without ever having raised them
GRATEFUL FOR EVERY BREATH
A double lung transplant has given this chef a second chance at life - and he'll never forget the young man who made it possible
THE GAMES ARE GO!
Preparations are well under way in the City of Lights for the world's greatest sporting spectacle
MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT
We break down what the new rules are and what to expect for the seventh national elections later this month
TOM'S A TOP GIFTER
He's known to go ALL OUT for his movies and stunts, so it's no surprise TOM CRUISE also PULLS OUT ALL THE STOPS for his friends when it comes to GIFTS
TAMING THE BEAST
Recognising and managing your anger can make for a happier and healthier you