Neil Ruddock recalls gaining weight after football career
Ex-England ace Neil Ruddock opened up about his staggering weight loss on Wednesday's BBC Breakfast.
The former footballer, 56, was on the show to talk about his new book Toxic: Tackling 'Razor' and Finding the Real Me, where he candidly discusses how he faced the 'battle of his life to become a different person'.
The book looks at his food addiction, issues with self-confidence and his relationship with alcohol.
Host Jon Kay said: "You say in the book you are half the man you used to be, that's literally the case!" to which Neil opened up about his weight loss after reaching 28st.
He said: "I got myself to 28st, it all started when you finish football, you're so disciplined, you train every day and at the end you just can't wait to retire.
"When I retired, I just ballooned, the weight ballooned, drinking. When you're a footballer, you're told everyday where to be, you've got to be here this time, you can't eat that, you can't drink that, you've got to wear this. You've always been told what to do and then when you retire, the wheels come off and you just escalate into food, drinking", adding: "It just got out of control, I couldn't control myself."
It was upon seeing a specialist with his heart, who warned that he could be dead in two months if he didn't change his ways, that it was the 'kick up the backside' he needed. The former footballer said he had a gastric sleeve fitted and he's lost nearly 10st now.
The sporting star reflected: "I did Harry's Hero, a TV show called Harry's Heroes, with Harry Redknapp with all ex footballers, late 40s, early 50s, it was like mental health and physical health go get yourself checked out because what men do if we're walking down the street and feel a bit strange, feel a bit dizzy, we won't go see the doctor in case it's bad news."
He added: "I was doing Harry's Heroes, I went a bit dizzy, and I felt sick. Every time I walked 100 yards, I started to feel dizzy, and at the time there was a lot about dementia in football. Heading balls, that was my game, heading balls, so I thought: 'Oh no, what's going wrong!'
"So I went to see the specialist and it was my heart. He said the way I was going, the way I was carrying on, he said you could die in two months. So it was a big kick up the backside I needed!", adding he had a procedure on his heart, a pacemaker fitted and a gastric sleeve to take the pressure off his heart. He said: "This is all through drinking and food!"
BBC Breakfast continues on weekdays at 6am on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
