Hobart’s Bill Sparks to open a new gym in the CBD after dramatic 105kg weight loss

Five years ago, Bill Sparks weighed 230kg, doctors told him he was at risk of losing a leg and he was on the brink of ending up in a wheelchair. See how he achieved his incredible transformation >>

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FIVE years ago, Bill Sparks weighed 230kg, doctors told him he was at risk of losing a leg and he was on the brink of ending up in a wheelchair.

The Hobart man said he used to binge eat, drink alcohol regularly and smoked cigarettes, and candidly admits that if he had not been able to turn things around, he may now be dead.

Now he is 105kg lighter, is a weight loss success story and is about to open his own gym in the Hobart CBD alongside friend Jacob Meyers, who has himself lost 40kg.

Mr Sparks, 39, is hoping he and Mr Meyers can serve as inspiration for others in their weight loss and fitness journeys.

“I tried so many times to lose weight — I’d go for a while, and then fall off the wagon and it went on for 10-15 years,” Mr Sparks said.

“I got to the stage where I was about to lose my leg and I just knew something had to change.

“The first year I lost 70kg and it took me about another 15 months to get the last 35kg off.”

Do it for your kids, your family, your friends, do it for yourself. Never give up. – Bill Sparks

At his worst stage, lesions starting showing up on one of his legs and doctors told him he was “one step away” from having gangrene that would have required the leg to be amputated.

“I reckon I would have lost my leg 6-12 months after that ... if I ended up in a wheelchair, I would probably be dead by now,” he said.

Mr Sparks said at that point, he had no energy and “hated every aspect of my life”.

The transformation to now could not be more striking.

“I love life. I’m a completely different person,” he said.

Bill Sparks lost 105kg after being told he was in danger of losing his leg.

Mr Sparks, now a personal trainer, said his weight loss plan was simple — eating nutritious meals and giving up drinking and smoking.

His motivation for opening a gym is so he can inspire people to achieve their goals.

“I’m probably one of the worst [cases] ... but if I can do it, so can you,” he said.

“Do it for your kids, your family, your friends, do it for yourself.

“Never give up.”

BLBC Gym head coach Jacob Meyers, left, and owner Bill Sparks. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Mr Sparks’s gym, called BLBC (Be Like Bill Community), will open at 105 Liverpool St next year.

He said the business would be community-minded and focused on creating a supportive space to assist people to achieve their fitness goals.

Mr Meyers said about 10 years ago, he lost 30kg over six months and a further 10kg after that, and has never looked back.

The 29-year-old said providing an individually tailored approach to help clients in their fitness journeys would be his focus.

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Liberals’ healthy state promise disappears

DAVID KILLICK

THE promise of making Tasmania “the healthiest state in Australia within five years” has vanished from a list of government priorities, a parliamentary committee has heard.

Health Minister Sarah Courtney appeared before a Legislative Council budget estimates committee hearing on Wednesday.

Labor MLC Bastian Seidel asked why the policy had disappeared from a government strategic plan.

“I’m glad you asked,” Ms Courtney replied “You are the first person to ask me that during Estimates.

”We don’t walk away from an aspiration like that, it is a core part of what we want in Tasmania.”

Health Minister Sarah Courtney. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Ms Courtney said government health spending had increased to account for 32 per cent of the state budget.

“We can’t have a Health Department that continues to become bigger and bigger and doesn’t become more efficient as well.”

Dr Seidel said he was underwhelmed by Ms Courtney’s response.

“In 2015, there was a big deal when Michael Ferguson announced this policy,” he said. “To have it dropped quite unceremoniously raises some questions.

“I’m not surprised because it’s completely unrealistic based on the current data.

“I think the government really owes the Tasmanian public some explanation. You can’t use COVID as an excuse ... it’s just a lack of leadership. Our nurses, our doctors cannot work any harder.”

Labor MLC Bastian Seidel questioned why the healthy state policy had been dropped. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

The committee heard that the amount of leave owed to health department staff has jumped by $37 million during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms Courtney said the pandemic meant many staff had cancelled their leave plans, either because of the demands of the response or because they could not travel.

As a result, the amount of accrued annual leave had increased from $101 million to $121 million and the amount of accrued long service leave had increased from $147 million to $164 million.

The total of $289 million in accrued leave represents an increase of 17 per cent on baseline figures from the previous year.

Health Department secretary Katherine Morgan Wicks said the jump in outstanding leave liabilities was being closely watched.

“We are monitoring the rates of annual leave, long service leave and sick leave and we’ll also have a conversation around fatigue management, particularly for key positions within the pandemic response,” she said.

The committee heard the amount of overtime was “broadly consistent” between current and pre-pandemic reporting periods, with an increase of just 0.5 per cent, although in some areas such as Public Health, the figure was higher.

The committee heard the Health Department missed deadlines for responding to Right to Information requests more often than not last financial year, with 10 receiving a response within the relevant time frames, and 17 being outside the time frames.

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