A man who weighed 500lbs and was so big he struggled to walk says his relative remarking he was "too big" spurred him on to lose more than half his body weight."

Carlos Rivera, 28, said he struggled with his weight in high school and college and would often grab convenience meals.

It wasn't long before he was tipping the scales at 500lbs and struggling to squeeze into a size XXXXXXL at his biggest.

At a Fourth of July event, a relative pointed at Carlos and said "oh my god, he is very big" and he was so embarrassed it inspired him to get a gastric sleeve to lose weight."

Carlos had the operation on November 14, 2020, and it helped him lose 100lbs and but he started "panicking" as he stopped losing weight after nine months. "

On Thanksgiving 2023, Carlos made the leap to overhaul his diet too - giving up takeaways, snacks and fizzy drinks.

Since then, he has lost 112lbs - losing 262lbs in total - and has been to the gym 200 times.

Carlos has gone from size XXXXXXL to an XL and now weighs a 238lbs.

Carlos, a veterinary nurse, from, Boston, Massachusetts, said: "I was at a restaurant and an elderly family member pointed at me and said 'oh my god, he is very big - he is a very big guy'."

"For her to notice and point at me, I was like 'OK, I need to change my lifestyle'."

"I was also in a lot of pain, I was 500lbs and it was getting to the point where I couldn't walk."

"Now I feel amazing, I do not regret anything. "

"My relationships with my friends are better - I want to hang out, I want to go for a drink."

"Every aspect of my life has changed."

In November 2024, Carlos got a gastric sleeve after struggling with his weight since high school.

After the procedure, Carlos lost 100lbs in eight months but said he stopped losing weight after nine months.

Carlos said: "I had to lose 50lbs to get the gastric sleeve and then I lost a further 100lbs."

"Then things stalled and I wasn't losing any weight, nothing was happening."

"I was panicking, so I decided to focus on my diet and what I ate."

On Thanksgiving 2023 Carlos overhauled his diet - cutting down on the cans of fizzy drinks and Chinese takeaways and opting for high-protein meals.

He also started going to the gym five times a week - going on the StairMaster and lifting light weights.

Carlos said: "I realised that I fully wanted to focus on my physique, that is when I started taking it more seriously."

"I went on a calorie deficit and went to the gym five times a week."

"This year alone I have been to the gym 200 times and lost 112lbs."

Carlos now weighs 238lbs and wears a XL.

He said his life is a "360 change" and he is more confident as a result of his weight loss."

Carlos said: "When you weigh 500lbs you know you are 500lbs - when you walk into a room you feel people staring at you and judging you."

"I was getting a lot of negative attention but now my confidence is insane."

"When you lose that much weight, nothing can stop you."

"A lot of people want to speak to me and compliment me."

"I have been able to grow so much in my job and have been offered loads of opportunities."

Carlos has booked a tummy tuck for February 2025, to remove 20lbs of excess skin.

He said: "It is causing a lot of back pain, I have to wear compression shirts and they do the trick."

"I look great and feel great but I have that human want of feeling good when I look at myself in the mirror."

"Even though my loose skin is a reminder of all the hard work, I have had it for a year and a half now."

"I am so ready to get rid of that and start brand new again."

Carlos' diet before -
Breakfast - Large coffee and two donuts
Lunch - Chinese takeaway
Dinner - Pizza or another takeaway
Snacks - Donuts, chocolate and pastries
Drinks - Five cans of Coca-cola

Carlos' diet now -
Breakfast - Overnight oats
Lunch - Rice and chicken or another type of meat
Dinner - Lasagna
Snacks - Coconut fruit bar
Drinks - Ginger ale fruit splash, water