From 70 Stone to Health: Couple's Remarkable Weight Loss Journey
A couple who once weighed a combined 70 stone and faced life-threatening health issues have completely transformed their lives by shedding over 40 stone. Dawid Lombard, 39, and his wife Rose-Mari, from Winnie Mandela in South Africa's Free State, were warned by doctors that their dire health conditions would likely kill them.
Extreme Eating Habits and Health Crisis
The couple's daily diet was staggering in its excess. They consumed 12 litres of Coca-Cola and two entire loaves of white bread every single day, supplemented by constant junk food consumption. Their eating habits were so extreme that on trips to McDonald's, they would stop at KFC first for a snack to eat during the journey.
"We were living on 12L of Coke and two loaves of white bread every day, plus junk food," Dawid revealed. "Lots and lots of junk food. When we felt like something sweet in the evening, we'd tuck into chocolates – a whole bag of Quality Street each."
At his heaviest, Dawid weighed nearly 300kg (approximately 47 stone) and suffered from multiple serious health conditions including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, and sleep apnoea. His mobility was severely limited, forcing him to leave his job and become dependent on his family for basic needs.
"I thought every night might be my last," Dawid admitted about his health crisis.
Rose-Mari weighed 140kg (over 22 stone) and shared many of her husband's health problems. The family's situation affected their ten-year-old son Divan, who faced bullying at school because of his parents' weight and reportedly avoided spending time with his father.
The Turning Point and Simple Beginning
In September 2024, the couple reached their breaking point. Rose-Mari wrote a desperate letter to Dr Smook & Partners, a Bloemfontein medical practice specialising in weight management, begging for help.
The medical team recommended a surprisingly simple starting point: walking just 100 metres daily and performing basic arm exercises with weights. For Dawid, who rarely left the house, this represented a monumental challenge.
"I was angry when I first started on my weight loss journey," Dawid confessed. "Angry at the dozens of diets I tried and failed, at my friends and family who had long insisted I lose weight, at doctors who told me I was killing myself, even at sugar itself!"
With determination, Dawid began his walking regimen with Rose-Mari and Divan by his side. Initially managing only two steps before needing to rest, he persevered until those 100 daily metres expanded to at least 5 kilometres each day.
Remarkable Transformation and Health Improvements
The results were astonishing. Within the first month alone, Dawid lost 20kg (over 3 stone) – enough weight to fit behind the steering wheel of his vehicle, though not without initial difficulty.
Rose-Mari recalled one memorable incident: "The day we went to collect the bakkie, they'd put a red ribbon on it. But when Dawid tried to climb in, he couldn't fit behind the truck's steering wheel. We still drove the 60km from Bloemfontein back home with a constant honking, as his stomach pressed against the hooter."
Today, Dawid has lost an incredible 183kg (29 stone), reducing his waist size from 190cm to 80cm and his pants size from 62 to 36. Rose-Mari has shed 81kg (nearly 13 stone), with her waist shrinking from 140cm to 50cm. Together, they have lost approximately 264kg – around 40 stone.
After six months of consistent walking, the couple joined a gym, initially arranging private sessions before gaining the confidence to exercise alongside others. Their treatment program includes a dietitian-designed eating plan and hormone injections that regulate glucose levels and control appetite.
New Lifestyle and Family Benefits
The couple's transformation has extended to their entire family. Their son Divan has lost 10kg (over a stone) now that sugar and junk food are no longer staples in their home.
"I say this with shame – I saw my child in the same place I was at his age and I wanted a better life for him," Dawid expressed regarding his motivation.
Rose-Mari described their current approach to nutrition: "We still eat well. It's about harmony and balance. Our meals consist of protein, vegetables and healthy starches such as brown rice and rye bread. We treat ourselves to the occasional soft drink, but only the sugar-free kind. But mostly we live on water."
Remarkably, all of their previous health problems have disappeared. Dawid's diabetes, high blood pressure, and other conditions have completely resolved, while Rose-Mari has maintained her weight loss for five months without injections through healthy eating and exercise alone.
Looking Forward with Renewed Hope
The psychological transformation has been as significant as the physical one. Dawid's previous anger and reclusiveness have been replaced with gratitude and confidence.
"When I look at myself now, I see the real me – the Dawid who was always inside that big body," he reflected. "I never realised who and what I could really be."
The couple now plans to purchase new wedding rings and hold a rededication ceremony to celebrate their new lives in their transformed bodies. They also hope to conceive another child, something that seemed impossible during their health crisis.
Rose-Mari maintains a positive perspective even about the loose skin resulting from their dramatic weight loss: "And anyone who wants to laugh about it or point it out, I just want to tell them, 'Do you know what I had to do to get these skin folds?'"
From doctors warning Dawid he wouldn't live to see 40 to a couple now embracing active, healthy lives with their son, their journey stands as a powerful testament to the possibility of transformation even from the most dire health circumstances.
