From doughnuts to dumbbells: Hospital worker's incredible bodybuilding transformation
Overweight Kiran Bassan once thought nothing of polishing off half a dozen doughnuts – but now the only six-pack he’s interested in is his abs.
The physiotherapist, who once weighed 19 stone, has made an incredible transformation to become a bodybuilder – losing a staggering 40 per cent of his body fat and shedding nearly seven stone to achieve his dream.
And his journey came to an amazing peak in April when he competed in his first bodybuilding competition and came third.
Kiran, 28, who works at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust in West Bromwich, said: “It was the most incredible feeling when I was on stage.
"I had the biggest smile on my face and I was just concentrating on impressing the judges. I could hear everyone just screaming my name – it was mad.”
It’s a far cry from the shy and overweight trainee physiotherapist he once was.
Kiran said: “I didn’t like what was staring back at me when I looked in the mirror. I’d avoid looking at myself.
“I had a lack of self-confidence and would avoid talking to the opposite sex. I also felt tired all the time.
“I’d become overweight after binging on junk food at university. The weight crept on.
"I wouldn’t just eat one doughnut, I’d wolf down a six pack. And I’d gorge on biscuits, crisps and chocolate, all at ridiculous times of the day.
“At my heaviest I was 19 stone.
"When I came back home to live with my mum in Birmingham, she would make sure I had healthy meals, but it was all the snacks in between that didn’t help.”
But once Kiran had made the decision to trim down, he never looked back.
His days used to consist of sugary cereal and thick white toast for breakfast, crisps and chocolate between meals, fast food for lunch, and huge portions of chicken and rice for dinner. He would also help himself to midnight snacks of crisps and chocolate.
But now he eats eggs or oats in the morning, chicken, rice and broccoli for lunch and fish or chicken for dinner - and has cut out snacks altogether.
He added: "I found a bodybuilding coach called Scott Walay on Instagram and messaged him for help.
"At that point I just wanted to lose weight. But he said he could help me sort out my diet and exercise.
"After a few weeks on his plan, I went along to see him in a competition. I watched him on stage and was in awe of him.
“I thought to myself that is what I want to do, I want to achieve what he has. So afterwards, I asked if he thought it was possible and he said it was.”
Kiran ditched the junk food and was given a rigid diet and exercise plan which he stuck to religiously.
And then in September last year, Scott told him he was ready for his first competition.
The next few weeks were filled with a tough diet and training regime all in preparation for the Saxon Classic Bodybuilding Competition, which was held at the Lichfield Garrick theatre on April 8.
But Kiran said it was 'all worth it' especially when he came third overall.
