A CHAPEL minister who tipped the scales at 26 stone says that a new eating and fitness regime saved his life.

The Rev Dylan Parry, who hails from Caernarfon, was one of the stars of a life-changing TV show, FFIT Cymru, on S4C.

Dylan admitted at the start of the series, made by Caernarfon-based Cwmni Da, that he had an unhealthy relationship with food and hated to look at himself in the mirror.

According to the 34-year-old, he had never known a time when he had been healthy and had been diagnosed with sleep apnoea.

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But after seven weeks of detailed advice and support on diet and exercise on FFIT Cymru, Dylan has lost more than three stone in weight and says he is in a much happier state of mind about himself.

He said: "Without a doubt FFIT Cymru has saved my life. If I had carried on as I was before there was no future for me.

"I have thanked everyone who has helped and supported me in the past few weeks. They have brought me back from the edge and their hard work has given me the tools to carry on and change the course of my life.

"I feel great, it's a nice feeling.

"Before I would avoid looking at myself in the mirror but I've spent hours doing just that today. I'm so happy in myself, a hundred times better than I was at the start of this journey.

"I have formed a new relationship with food and have come to a new place with fitness too. And although it is hard work you reap what you sow.

“Then there's your mental health, I couldn't thank the experts enough for the tools I needed to do this."

He added the fridge at his home has seen a makeover and no longer stores chocolate eclairs and sugary energy drinks.

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During the series Dylan underwent tests for diabetes and was surprised when they proved negative.

"The test showed my blood-sugar levels were well within the normal range. I didn't expect that and I put that down to FFIT Cymru," he said.

Dylan, who now lives in Bridgend, said the members had been hugely supportive and had enthusiastically joined in his fitness regime.

"Meeting members socially after services or in their homes is a big part of the work. They no longer offer me biscuits and such like and we have started a Wednesday evening walk. We have started a conversation where there hadn't been a conversation previously," he said.

In addition to the weight loss the FFIT Cymru experts found his visceral fat levels - also known as 'hidden' fat that’s stored deep inside the body and wrapped around organs including the liver and intestines - had been reduced by 13 per cent.

Personal trainer Rae Carpenter said: "This has been reduced in just seven weeks, just think what you can achieve in the next six months and beyond.

Meanwhile, psychologist Dr Ioan Rees said Dylan's initial psychological score, measured just before the series started, stood at 44 per cent.

"The same test now shows a score of 87 per cent. showing the effect of food and fitness on the brain in such a short time," he said.

Across eight episodes, the FFIT Cymru series shared positive and inspirational ideas with the nation with the five leaders transforming their health by following bespoke fitness and food plans set by the programme's four experts.