A man has embarked on a mission to break the world record for the quickest loss of 100kg without surgery – despite warnings to stop. Kamran Yousaf, 48, says doctors gave him a 30% chance of surviving the next five years, due to his 32st weight.So last August he adopted a radical weight loss strategy – eating between just 100 and 800 calories a day.
Now he weighs just 22st and says he’s on track to lose 100kg in 365 days – a record feat for someone in his age category in the UK. Kamran, from Birmingham, who has lost a total of 63kg, insists he doesn’t feel hungry and has defended his regime, saying it’s better than being “close to death from obesity”.However experts have warned against his technique, saying it could be harmful.
Vanessa Sturman, a performance and weight loss coach, 37, said: “I think it’s imperative that someone in his position sees a dietician, who can help him set safe and realistic goals. Creating a goal such as ‘losing record weight’ could be dangerous.
“Secondly, eventually anyone looking to manage their weight or lose weight is going to have to learn how to eat in a truly sustainable way, that’s healthy, satisfying and maintains a healthy weight for the long run, without dieting. So you want to make sure you are putting that sustainability in place throughout your weight loss journey.
“What we want to think about are the healthy foods we are adding in. You will lose weight from a calorie deficit – but we have to think about adding foods that prevent disease, give us energy and are satiating. Or it simply won’t be sustainable or healthy.
“For example, fibre from plant based wholefoods, such as fruit, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds, feed our good gut bacteria, can help prevent disease and are satiating. Diversity in these foods is key for gut health and overall health. By adding these foods into our diet, and focussing on truly balanced eating, without dieting, we can better sustain a healthy weight.”
Kamran, who has been registered disabled for four years, said: “If I didn’t take action I would have died in days – I want to show others that no matter how big you are there is always a way back. I eat everything I want, but just one spoonful or one bite.
“I am not saying everyone should do this – but if you know you are close to death from obesity, I think this is a much better option.”
Kamran has battled weight issues since childhood, but his life took a dramatic turn ten years ago when he was diagnosed with type 2 respiratory failure. Living in Reading at the time, he experienced excruciating morning headaches, prompting his doctor to test his oxygen levels during sleep.The results were alarming.
Kamran’s oxygen saturation was dangerously low at just 50%, and he was rushed into intensive care, where he spent a week on a ventilator. “The doctors couldn’t believe I was still alive,” Kamran said.
His breathing gradually improved over weeks, and he was eventually discharged – but was given a high chance of death within the next five years. His respiratory now requires careful regulation, including the use of home oxygen and ventilators.
On top of his respiratory condition, Kamran developed arthritis and faced numerous health challenges over the last decade. In August 2024, his doctors gave him a 30% chance of survival over the next five years.This prognosis became a wake-up call for Kamran.
Determined to defy the odds, he began his weight-loss journey in August 2024, focusing on the psychology behind food, he says. He began eating just one small meal a day, drinking sugar-free drinks, and consuming herbal teas and water.His go-to meal was grilled cheese with pastrami, and his daily calorie intake ranged from 500 to 800 initially.
“I basically realised that the taste of food only last for a few seconds – if you can get over that – you realise that you don’t need to eat most of the time.”
In October 2024, Kamran joined a weight management clinic and was prescribed Wegovy (semaglutide), a medication approved for weight loss by regulating appetite. Within a month, he lost an additional 14kg. By January 2025, Kamran had dropped from 32st (205kg) to 22st (140kg).Kamran’s success has inspired him to enroll in an NHS-backed health professional course to help others struggling with weight loss.
He credits Queen Elizabeth hospital Birmingham Respiratory Department and Baywater Heathcare and the oxygen therapy they gave him for saving his life and is now focussed on shedding as many pounds as possible.
“I know what works and what doesn’t, dieting does not work – you need a total change in your mindset” he said. He claims he no longer feels hungry and consumes minimal calories, often as low as 100 calories per day.While his weight loss has alleviated physical discomfort and even reduced his shoe size by two sizes, his methods are not recommended by most public health bodies.
Medical experts caution against extreme calorie restriction and rapid weight loss for the as a diet of 100 calories a day can lead to severe deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals, causing fatigue, muscle loss, weakened immunity, and impaired organ function as well as a number of other risks including irregular heart rhythms and increase the risk of heart problems.
The NHS generally recommends a gradual weight loss of 0.5 -1kg per week for sustainable and healthy results. Kamran said: “People don’t understand how bad it is to live with obesity, but diets don’t work – you have to completely change everything.”