Marty Kreft has every reason to feel happy - he's reduced his weight by more than 138kg in the past 17 months.
Mr Kreft (38), of Ranfurly, was tipping the scales at 272.9kg when he decided to have a ''life-changing'' gastric bypass operation in February last year.
Mr Kreft has not looked back.
''If the operation is right for you, don't hesitate,'' he said.
''If you have tried all the diets and they have failed, go to your doctor and get a referral. A gastric bypass is tough, but it's also life-changing.''
Mr Kreft now weighs 134kg and wants to get down to 125kg before undergoing a second operation.
''I'm a country boy and used to eat big meals and drink a lot of alcohol as well. I can't eat anything like beef or mutton now. I was a butcher by trade, so it's a big change for me.''
Mr Kreft, a Central Otago bowls representative who managed a poultry processing company in Alexandra for 12 years, was steadily putting on weight as he got older ''but it never hindered me. I still played bowls and touch rugby. I worked 80 hours a week''.
''I never thought that my size was a hindrance. I had no other medical problems apart from being a big guy.''
A slow metabolism contributed to his problems. For most people, the digestive process lasts between one and two hours, but Mr Kreft had a 19-hour cycle.
''My system took all the good and bad out of it [the food].''
The idea to have the stomach-stapling operation came from the surgeon who operated on problem veins in Mr Kreft's legs. He had never thought about a gastric bypass before that.
Mr Kreft started playing bowls seven years ago and still played when his weight reached a whopping 272.9kg.
''After a weekend of bowls, I used to be a wreck for a couple of days,'' he said.
''I can now play two or three days of bowls without getting tired.''
The slimmer Mr Kreft has found bowls easier and it has been reflected in the results. He won his first Central Otago fours title last season and represented Central Otago in the New Zealand inter-centre sevens.
Life in general is a lot better for the son of former All Black prop Tony Kreft.
''It's heaps easier. I didn't realise how much my weight was a hindrance.
''I didn't notice it as much as other people did.''
Now Mr Kreft's standard daily diet includes a piece of toast for breakfast, a cup of soup for lunch, and a pasta snack for dinner. He also eats fruit during the day.
''The gastric bypass limits the amount of food I can eat,'' he said.
''My stomach is now the size of an egg instead of the size of a football.''
Mr Kreft faces more procedures.
''I will have a second operation to remove all the loose skin. It will leave me at a weight between 105kg and 108kg.
''The surgeon will then take off the loose skin from my stomach, chest and thighs and I will get a full cosmetic under the chin. The weight of the skin they take off is 17kg.
''If I stick to the plan I will remain at that weight for the rest of my life.''
He must remain on a restricted diet.
''If I eat the wrong things it makes me sick, so I keep away from them. I'm pretty strict in following what they say and I've got pretty good support.''
All Black hooker Andrew Hore was a good friend and had been very supportive, he said.
