A Birmingham man who was facing death due to being 32 stone is now on track for record-breaking weight loss – but experts warned his methods could be harmful.
Kamran Yousaf, 48, was given a 30% chance of surviving the next five years by doctors when at his heaviest.
Deciding enough was enough, he adopted a radical weight loss strategy last August – eating between just 100 and 800 calories a day.
It is a far cry from the 2,500 calories per day the NHS recommends men eat.
Now just 22 stone, Mr Yousaf said he is on track to lose 100kg without surgery in 365 days – a record feat for someone in his age category in the UK.
The Birmingham man – 63kg down so far – insisted he does not feel hungry and defended his regime: ‘If I didn’t take action, I would have died in days.’
He added: ‘I am not saying everyone should do this – but if you know you are close to death from obesity, I think this is a much better option.’
But experts – in line with the official advice of most public health bodies – warned against his technique, saying it could be harmful.
Kamran Yousaf, 48, from Birmingham, was given a 30% chance of surviving the next five years by doctors when he was 32 stone (pictured)
Vanessa Sturman, a performance and weight loss coach, 37, said: ‘I think it’s imperative that someone in his position sees a dietician, who can help him set safe and realistic goals.
‘Creating a goal such as “losing record weight” could be dangerous.
‘Secondly, eventually, anyone looking to manage their weight or lose weight is going to have to learn how to eat in a truly sustainable way, that’s healthy, satisfying and maintains a healthy weight for the long run, without dieting.’
At the start of his weight loss journey last summer, Mr Yousaf ate just one small meal a day, drinking sugar-free drinks and consuming herbal teas and water.
His go-to meal was grilled cheese with pastrami and his daily calorie intake ranged from 500 to 800 initially.
In October, he joined a weight management clinic and was prescribed Wegovy, an injectable medication for overweight and obesity.
Within a month, he lost an additional 14kg.
By January 2025, Mr Yousaf had dropped from 32 stone to 22 stone.
Mr Yousaf is now 22 stone (pictured), after a weight loss journey that began in August last year
He claimed he no longer feels hungry and now consumes a minimal amount, often as low as 100 calories per day.
He revealed the mindset that got him through his strict regime: ‘I basically realised that the taste of food only lasts for a few seconds – if you can get over that, you realise that you don’t need to eat most of the time.’
The psychology of it was his main focus, he added: ‘I know what works and what doesn’t, dieting does not work – you need a total change in your mindset.’
But expert Ms Sturman advised strongly to take a different approach: ‘You want to make sure you are putting that sustainability in place throughout your weight loss journey.
‘What we want to think about are the healthy foods we are adding in. You will lose weight from a calorie deficit – but we have to think about adding foods that prevent disease, give us energy and are satiating. Or it simply won’t be sustainable or healthy.
‘For example, fibre from plant based whole foods, such as fruit, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds, feed our good gut bacteria, can help prevent disease and are satiating. Diversity in these foods is key for gut health and overall health.
‘By adding these foods into our diet, and focussing on truly balanced eating, without dieting, we can better sustain a healthy weight.’
Mr Yousaf explained why he felt he needed to take such a drastic approach: ‘If I didn’t take action I would have died in days – I want to show others that no matter how big you are there is always a way back.
The Birmingham man claims, following his weight loss journey, he no longer feels hungry and consumes a minimal amount, often as low as 100 calories per day
‘I eat everything I want, but just one spoonful or one bite.’
He has battled weight issues since childhood – but his life took a dramatic turn ten years ago when he was diagnosed with type 2 respiratory failure.
It is a condition where the lungs either cannot provide the body with enough oxygen and/or cannot remove carbon dioxide in the way they should, causing it to build up.
Because of this, Mr Yousaf – who lived in Reading at the time – was having excruciating morning headaches so his doctor tested his oxygen levels during sleep.
The results were alarming.
His oxygen saturation was dangerously low at just 50%. He was rushed into intensive care where he spent a week on a ventilator.
‘The doctors couldn’t believe I was still alive,’ Mr Yousaf said.
His breathing gradually improved over weeks, and he was eventually discharged – but was given a high chance of death within the next five years.
Mr Yousaf has battled weight issues since childhood – but his life took a dramatic turn ten years ago when he was diagnosed with type 2 respiratory failure
His respiratory condition now requires careful regulation including the use of home oxygen and ventilators.
Mr Yousaf has also developed arthritis and faced numerous health challenges over the last decade. He has been registered disabled for four years
On top of the grim prognosis he was given due to this respiratory condition, doctors – in August 2024 – gave him a 30% chance of surviving the next five years due to overweight.
This was a wake-up call for Mr Yousaf.
Determined to turn his life around, he began his weight loss journey straight away – and the rest is history.
The Birmingham man’s success inspired him to enroll in an NHS-backed health professional course to help others struggling with weight loss.
Mr Yousaf said: ‘People don’t understand how bad it is to live with obesity, but diets don’t work – you have to completely change everything.’
He credits the Respiratory Department at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Respiratory Department and the therapy he received from oxygen equipment supplier Baywater Healthcare for saving his life.
But while his weight loss has alleviated physical discomfort and even reduced his shoe size by two sizes, his methods are not recommended by most public health bodies.
Medical experts caution against extreme calorie restriction and rapid weight loss – a diet of 100 calories a day can lead to severe deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals.
This can cause fatigue, muscle loss, weakened immunity, impaired organ function, irregular heart rhythms and an increased risk of heart problems.
The NHS generally recommends a gradual weight loss of 0.5-1kg per week for sustainable and healthy results.
