Luke Pullen, 37, a father of two from New Malden, South West London, has shed more than five stone (33kg) in 13 weeks and is set to ride a rollercoaster for the first time in two decades. The pub general manager was previously told he could not ride the Colossus at Thorpe Park as a teenager because staff could not secure the restraint due to his size, leaving him feeling "humiliated".
Weight spiralled to 34 stone after incident
Following the incident, Pullen said his relationship with food turned "toxic". He ballooned to 34 stone 6lbs (220kg) at his heaviest in 2020, at age 32. He spent years anxious about fitting into seats on aeroplanes and missed family weddings. He said: "I'd never been embarrassed about my weight until that day I was kicked off the rollercoaster ride. Two members of staff were pushing down on the restraint while people in the queue were making comments."
Pullen worked in hospitality for over 16 years, where he said the pressures made it "very easy to eat and drink poorly". During the Covid pandemic, his weight escalated dramatically. He explained: "As Covid was starting to end, I finally bought some suitable scales and weighed 32st (203.5kg), this scared me to death."
Anxiety over fitting into spaces
Pullen revealed that considering whether he would "fit somewhere" was constantly on his mind. He would book multiple plane tickets to ensure no one sat next to him, and once flew to Dublin first to afford Business Class to Las Vegas. He said: "Even something as simple as wondering whether the tray table would come down was enough to make me panic." He skipped his cousin's wedding because he lacked clothes that fit.
As his children Ronnie, 11, and Alfie, 9, grew older, theme parks became challenging. He recalled: "I've had to stand and watch while my wife takes the boys on rides because I was worried I wouldn't fit." Another distressing moment occurred in Las Vegas when he stepped on scales outside the Heart Attack Grill, exceeded the 350lb threshold, and was called onto a stage as customers applauded.
Weight loss programme transforms life
After years of unsuccessful diets, Pullen enrolled in Numan's weight-loss programme, which included medication and medical advice. Since March 2026, he has lost 33kg in 13 weeks. He said: "I've gone from struggling to walk to hitting 15,000 steps a day and running again. The pain in my joints has gone and I feel stronger and happier than ever." He now weighs 26 stone 7lbs (170kg).
This summer, Pullen plans to travel to Los Angeles with his wife Sophie, 33, and their sons to ride rollercoasters for the first time in over 20 years. He said: "I've watched every 'fat testing' video on YouTube to make sure I'll fit, and I know I will. We're also even flying Economy. A year ago, I never thought I'd say that."
Diet transformation
Pullen's previous diet included a cooked breakfast or pastry with white mocha, snacking on kitchen food, five takeaways a week, and 1,500 calories daily in sugary drinks. Now he eats protein yoghurt with fruit, tuna or salmon on sourdough, chicken breast with broccoli, and drinks black coffee and water. He advises others to "find your reason" and use it as fuel.
