Britain’s Got Talent star Richard Hadfield shows off his incredible new body
By Will Stroude
Britain’s Got Talent star Richard Hadfield had told how he lost almost four stone in four months after being branded ‘the fat one.’
The ex-Collabro singer slimmed down from 18st 3lbs to 14st 6lbs with a super-intense weight loss regime which he started in June just days after he dramatically quit the all-male singing group after they had performed at the Britain’s Got Talent grand final.
Richard, 22, fell out with the other band members and decided to forge a new career as a solo singer.
He said: “Being free from the band really sparked my weight loss. I had been unhappy for a long time and comfort ate to escape my misery.
“My weight sky rocketed up to 18st 3lbs and I was clinically obese with 30% body fat. I started being known as the ‘fat one’ in the band. It really hit me hard.
“I was embarrassed about my weight but I was in a really bad environment professionally and couldn’t stop eating.”
Richard was determined to turn his life around but knew that he needed some help rebooting his diet.
His girlfriend Roxy Henley, 25, had friends who had lost weight using Forza Supplements’ Shake It Slim meal replacement drinks and recommended them to Richard.
Richard decided to give them a try, replacing breakfast and lunch each day with a 204 calorie strawberry or chocolate shake – and soon the weight started to drop off.
He then teamed up with the experts from Forza to devise a new fitness regime and meal planner to help him get back in perfect shape. He lost 53lbs – 3st 11lbs – in just four months and now has the ripped torso he has always wanted.
Richard joked: “Roxy loves the new me obviously but she’s not too happy about my chest being hard. She can’t get comfy anymore!
“She’s been so helpful in the whole process. Roxy would always be snatching sweets out of my grasp. One time she found my secret stash of chocolate – I never saw that again.”
Richard, who lives with Roxy in Stratford, East London, had a brilliant first year after winning Britain’s Got Talent with Collabro after impressing judge Simon Cowell with his singing.
The band had a sell-out world tour and a hit album and they seemed set to emulate the success of Cowell’s other male singing group Il Divo. But the tensions within the five-strong group got so bad that Richard felt he had no option but to quit – and turn around his life.
He said: ” I stopped the self pity and took my frustration out in the gym. I have gone from obese to athlete in four months and lost the weight of a small child.
“I would go to the gym to do weighted resistance work three times a week and then every other day I would do a 12 minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) work-out.
“So many people think you need to run on the treadmill for hours on end but it’s just not the case.
“HIIT (high intensity interval training) is a really easy way to get your cardio in and burn a crazy amount of calories!”
He continued: “I began a food diary and a key part of my weight loss regime was Forza’s Shake It Slim meal replacement drinks. I would swap breakfast & lunch for one of the shakes most days.
“I got all the nutrients I needed and it really accelerated my weight loss. Dieting is hard and using the right products can give you a daily pick-me-up and make life a lot easier, especially on really busy days.
“My body fat is now down to 12%. I am continuing to use Shake It Slim but I am just swapping one meal a day instead of two now that I am at my ideal weight.
“This will enable me to control my weight and make sure it won’t yo-yo again.”
Now Richard cannot wait to get started on his solo career – hoping the emulate the success America’s big stars of swing.
He said: “It’s about time we had another Brit on the jazz scene. I think I can bring something new to the table.”
Richard is currently writing his first solo album and is performing his first solo show in London on December 11 at the Piano Works in Farringdon – where many stars of jazz and swing have launched their careers.
For a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show and a VIP meet & greet and pictures with Richard, courtesy of FORZA supplements enter here.*
*Competition ends 4/12/16 and the winner will be notified on 5/12/16
Richard is a brand ambassador for Forza Supplements’ Shake It Slim meal replacement drinks which are sold by Holland & Barrett.
Richard’s old diet
Breakfast – buttered toast and high sugar cereal such as Crunchy Nut Cornflakes
Lunch – Burger King bacon double cheeseburger with chips and coke
Dinner – extra large pizza
Snacks – Haribos
Richard’s new Forza weight loss regime diet
Breakfast – poached eggs
Lunch – grilled chicken, sweet potato and runner beans or a strawberry Shake It Slim meal replacement from Forza Supplements
Dinner – grilled haddock and broccoli
