Street View shock prompts sudden weight loss

by Steven Mostyn - Nov 16 2010, 10:58

Google Street View, so often criticised for encroaching on the privacy of unsuspecting folk with its fleet of camera cars, is this week being banded about as a surprisingly effective aid to slimming.

More pointedly, a morbidly obese man from the United Kingdom was shocked into action and lost almost a third of his body weight after seeing himself on Street View in November of 2009.

According to Bob Mewse (56) of Longwell Green, Bristol, the image of him standing outside an Asda supermarket was so horrific that lingering thoughts of losing weight were suddenly shifting into sharp focus.

Pushing a diet of sugary junk food to one side, Mr. Mewse has spent the last 12 months progressively trimming his expansive waistline, dropping down from a massive 21 stone (approximately 295lbs) to a positively trim 14 stone (195lbs).

“I was massive. My belly was sticking out and I looked huge,” commented Mr. Mewse in a Telegraph report. “I’d been thinking about losing weight for some time, but after seeing that picture, I knew that I actually had to do something about it.”

Detailing his physical condition at the time, the now svelte Mr. Mewse explained that his blood pressure had been dangerously elevated, he suffered from intense back pain, and often found it hard to walk and talk at the same time.

After spying his wobbly frame on Street View, Mr. Mewse promptly joined a local gym, followed a personalised exercise programme, replaced fat-heavy foods with healthy alternatives, and began to watch as the weight fell away.  

“If I can do this, anybody can,” he said. “I’m just an ordinary bloke. I feel much healthier now.”

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