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Meet the bloke who went from 127kg insurance salesman to international model

THIS red-headed insurance salesman from Wales shed 42kg, got some tatts and grew a beard — and now he is a smouldering, globetrotting model.

Psychology of Dieting

MEET the red-headed insurance salesman who shed 42kg and become a globetrotting model.

This is Gwilym Pugh.

In 2007, he weighed 127kg and hung out in his spare bedroom and sold insurance. And then this happened.

The Welshman dropped down to 85kg and is now an international model, hanging out with such celebrities as David Beckham.

At the age of 21, Gwilym founded his own insurance company, running it from his spare bedroom.

But the former Wales under-16 basketball player put on weight while working from home and was prevented from training due to a knee injury.

Gwilym Pugh hanging with new mate Becks. Picture: Instagram
Gwilym Pugh hanging with new mate Becks. Picture: Instagram

However now, at the age of 33, he has transformed himself into an international model, gracing the pages of GQ and Hunger magazine and working with Becks.

It’s all in the beard.
It’s all in the beard.

The model told Wales Online that while his business was going well, he became unhappy with his weight.

“At that time I was pretty overweight, working 12 hours a day, plagued with injuries which meant I couldn’t train at all.

He dropped some weight, got some tatts, and voila!
He dropped some weight, got some tatts, and voila!

“I decided I needed to get my life in order and wanted to get healthy again.’’

He decided to “clean up his diet”, cutting out takeaways, but said quitting his desk job made the biggest difference as he wasn’t sitting for nine hours a day.

No more desk job for Gwilym Pugh. Picture: Instagram
No more desk job for Gwilym Pugh. Picture: Instagram

He now aims for 15,000 steps a day, and while it’s taken four to five years to be at his leanest, Gwilym says walking and “generally trying to be active every day has been key”.

And thanks to his ginger beard and urban-chic style, Gwilym is gaining fans across the world on his Instagram account.

Gwilym Pugh now oozes hipster chic. Picture: Getty
Gwilym Pugh now oozes hipster chic. Picture: Getty

After being spotted on the social media site in 2015, Gwilym is now signed to AMCK Models and works with a host of international brands including Gillette, David Beckham’s House 99, Bud Light and Esprit.

And this is what he looks like now.

Yep, we’d buy insurance from him ... Picture: Instagram
Yep, we’d buy insurance from him ... Picture: Instagram

This article originally appeared on The Sun and is reproduced here with permission.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/face-body/meet-the-bloke-who-went-from-127kg-insurance-salesman-to-international-model/news-story/8713120af0b10078cee1c52b74c23a31