'Hopeless case' granddad loses 12 stone to continue his beloved tractor hobby

Stan Weir before and after losing 12 stone. Picture: Stan Weir.

Doctors called him a hopeless case, he barely had enough energy to walk a few feet at a time, and worst of all, his GP had threatened to take his driving licence away, which would rob him of the ability to drive his 12 beloved tractors.

But 18 months later the former lorry driver from the Borders has lost a whopping 12 stone, and is “bursting with energy”, thanks to the support of his diet consultant Margaret Moffat, 42.

Mr Weir was introduced to Ms Moffat by his granddaughter Carolanne Logan, who had joined the 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan after being told by her doctor she needed to lower her BMI in order to be considered for IVF.

Stan Weir on one of his beloved tractors. Picture: Stan Weir.

After losing 14 stone on the diet, Ms Logan gave birth to baby Scarlett this summer.

She has now become a 1:1 Diet consultant herself, and has helped her mother, Mr Weir’s daughter, to lose six stone.

Inspired by the success of his granddaughter, Mr Weir asked her to bring him along to one of her sessions with Ms Moffat in March 2018.

“My first impression was that this guy was maybe going to die very soon if I didn’t help him,” said Ms Moffat.

“He was the biggest guy I’d ever helped lose weight, and he was very close to not having a life.”

She added: “I could tell he was in need of my help not just with the weight loss, but his self confidence was shot.”

Through following the diet, which involves a meal replacement plan before gradually re-introducing food, and weekly support consultations with Ms Moffat, Mr Weir managed to regain his life.

Every year Mr Weir takes part in a tractor run in Blyth Bridge for Macmillan cancer support.

In the past he has not been able to manage the tractors on his own, and has had to hire people to help him.

This year for the first time he was up and about at 4am, preparing for the event and organising his tractors into position.

Ms Moffat, who went along with Mr Weir to the tractor run, said the pair had an “absolute ball”.

“The difference in Stan and his life is amazing,” she said.

Before losing the weight, Mr Weird couldn’t walk the short distance from his front door to his workshop.

But now he can manage this easily. “I feel better than ever,” he said.