A former bomb disposal expert has won his battle with the bulge after shedding half his bodyweight after undergoing gastric bypass surgery . Steve Tempest-Mitchell , from Bradford , West Yorkshire , lost a whopping 16st after the surgery 14 months ago , which caused his stomach to shrink to the size of a tennis ball . The 56-year-old said he decided to go through with the operation after hitting 32st and struggling to control his Type 2 diabetes . Scroll down for video . Slim and trim : Steve Tempest-Mitchell says he has a new lease of life after slimming down from 32st to 16st . 'It was a case of going in for the surgery and hoping to come out the other side , ' said the father-of-three . This was a life changing and life threatening decision for me to make . 'At 32st , it was not an easy decision as I had been turned down for the surgery two and a half years previously . 'It had got to a point where something had to be done because I was slowly killing myself . I was just waiting for something awful to happen and even needed psychiatric help . ' Although he never indulged in binge-eating , Mr Tempest-Mitchell says he would eat smaller portions at regular intervals and was drinking around eight cans of cola a day . But the former bomb disposal expert had n't always been big and he says that growing up , he lived an active lifestyle , regularly playing rugby and competing in wrestling . Flashback : Mr Tempest-Mitchell said he was almost a recluse when he was at his biggest ( above ) As he got older , he began to struggle with his weight thanks to a lifestyle of long-haul flights , business meetings and boozy evenings spent entertaining clients . Mr Tempest-Mitchell also had to contend with some highly stressful situations while working as a bomb disposal expert between 1996 and 2005 in Iraq and Afghanistan , where he was employed as a contractor with the Ministry of Defence . Using high-pressure water technology , he would set about the grim task of defusing bombs . 'It was a very stressful situation , ' he explains . 'Not only have you got to handle the situation of defusing the threat of the bomb but you are in dangerous territory as well under guard from soldiers . Helping hand : The former bomb disposal expert said he needed to be pushed in a wheelchair to board a plane . 'We were very lucky as one of the bases we were stationed at was attacked by a rocket launcher just weeks after we left . ' Mr Tempest-Mitchell , who is now a business development manager at a demolition and asbestos removal firm , said as the years went by , his weight crept up . ' I had a very active lifestyle before my work and life balance was disrupted and I began to not have time to eat right , ' he said . ' I was never one of those people who would eat massive amounts of food where you are stunned by the amount but I did have small portions regularly . 'Ever since I was a child , I always drank coke . At one point , I was having between six to eight cans a day . I have had to completely cut coke out of my life as well as other fizzy drinks . I do n't mind if I never have one again . ' The father-of-three said his weight affected his self confidence and esteem . As a result of the weight gain , Mr Tempest-Mitchell almost became housebound at his heaviest and was forced to plan every trip out . His weight issues even affected his working life , as well as his confidence and self esteem . ' I was forced to park the car as close as possible to wherever I was going , if I could n't , I 'd have to turn back and go home , ' he recalls . ' I was almost becoming a recluse as I was unable to visit sites for my work so instead worked from home . I was becoming a burden on my family , especially when we tried to go on holiday . I had to be taken to the plane by a buggy or wheelchair . ' Fed up , he took the plunge and opted for surgery - a decision that coincided with him finding that he was about to become a grandfather . Both of his daughters , aged 26 and 36 , were expecting babies . 'My one daughter came to see me while I was recovering from the operation and broke the news that she was pregnant , ' said Mr Tempest-Mitchell , who also has a 34-year-old son . Although he never indulged in eating too many snacks , he said he would drink up to eight cans of coke a day . ' I was so thrilled as I knew the success of the surgery would allow me to be more active and enjoy spending time with them as they are growing up . ' As well as losing more than a stone a month , he has also seen his waist shrink from 66 inches to 42 inches and his chest go down from 66 inches to 48 inches . 'Now I feel like I am a new man , ' he said . ' I have the energy to play with my grandchildren , who are both nearly one , which I would not have been able to do before . '
Steve Tempest-Mitchell had gastric bypass surgery to shrink his stomach . The 56-year-old took drastic measure after tipping the scales at 32st . Bradford father-of-three was struggling to control diabetes . Almost housebound and was consuming eight cans of fizzy drinks a day . Had to be helped onto a plane in a wheelchair or special buggy .