adminCharminster, near Dorchester, Dorset, and his wife Clare, 31, first married in 2004.
But Damon — who back then weighed 25st 3lb stone — is so “embarrassed” to look at their old wedding photos that he and Clare are going to do it all again, in order to generate a brand new family album.
Damon has lost over eight stone in just 11 months after realising he needed to take drastic action to tackle his weight when he became physically incapable of playing football with his sons Callum and Tyler.
He embarked upon a healthy eating and lifestyle regime — and Clare joined him, managing to lose three stone herself.
After hitting his target weight, Damon proposed to Clare for the second time, because he feels “like a new man” and is finally confident in front of a camera. The couple are planning to renew their vows in June, at the same church where they wed in 2004.
He said: “When I married Clare I was about 24 stone and my suit jacket wouldn’t do up — so I had to have an extra button put in.
“When I look at our wedding photos now I feel embarrassed. So I got down on one knee and proposed to Clare again as I thought, “I’m a new man and I want to do it again”.
“I look completely different to how I did, and I would like to do my wedding again because I feel like an improved version of myself.
“We are really excited about renewing our vows. I meant them the first time around, but now I am not only going to feel comfortable saying them, but feel comfortable in the suit I am wearing too!”
Clare said: “When we first met, Damon was quite slim — probably the same weight he is now. So when I walk down the aisle again it will be like marrying the man I first met.
“He has completely changed and become much more confident. I am so proud of his achievements.”
Damon used to live on a diet of ready meals, fish and chips and takeaways. Over the years his waist ballooned to a staggering 61 inches.
He said: “I have always been a big person, even though I have played football all my life.
“When I left school I worked at a fish and chips shop where I could have a free meal — then I started working at the taxi company.
“There’s a chippy next door and a Chinese and kebab shop nearby, so it was easy to grab something — and most of the food at home was from Iceland. I was playing football with my son last year and had to go and get a drink because within minutes I was sweating — he looked so embarrassed in front of his friends.
“I decided to do something about it and joined Slimming World. Since then, I have lost a lot of weight and feel like a new person.”
Damon’s waist size is now down to a trim 36 inches and he has had to buy new clothes from normal shops rather than plus-size catalogues.
His new diet consists of healthy home-cooked meals and he visits the gym three to four times a week.
Clare, an administrator at a care home, has also lost three stone by eating the same meals as Damon in the evening and has gone from a size 20 to a 14.
She said: “Although I eat healthy food at work I wasn’t as committed as Damon but still managed to lose weight by eating the same dinners as him.
“When Damon proposed I was shocked. We both weren’t wearing our wedding rings because they were too big after we lost weight.
“He had taken mine without me knowing and had it made smaller for me. I am really looking forward to the day.” — Mailonline.
Online Reporter