'My KFC days are finished'

A grossly obese man who had to be forklifted into an ambulance for medical assistance says his KFC-eating days are over.

Joe, a 37-year-old taxi driver who did not want his last name published and refused to be photographed, has lost 25kg after two weeks in hospital.

He weighed 280kg on admission and said he "felt great" from losing the weight and was determined to trim to 150kg by the end of the year.

St John Ambulance was called to Joe's Christchurch home on January 13.

The married father-of-four needed help because a knee injury prevented him from walking.

Paramedics asked firefighters to help lift Joe and after assessing the situation, they decided a forklift was the only option.

Joe said being 280kg was uncomfortable and it was difficult finding clothes to fit him.

He had tried to lose weight, but had always given up after a few weeks.

On a normal day he ate leftovers, fish and chips, takeaways and taro.

If he drove past a KFC he couldn't resist visiting the drive-through and ordering a quarter pack.

"I don't have a plan like breakfast, lunch, dinner. If I want to eat, I will eat," he said.

For now, Joe is on a strict vegetarian diet in hospital, eating fruit and light meals and doing exercises such as weightlifting and standing.

He has new determination to break his eating habits - mostly for the sake of his wife and children, aged between 3 and 14.

"This time I will press on, no more quits. It's hard, but as long as it's in your heart, you can resist [food]."

- APN NEWS & MEDIA