Former Millwall and Palace defender Neil Ruddock on amazing weight loss

Former Crystal Palace and Millwall defender Neil Ruddock has explained that having gastric sleeve surgery has allowed him to shed seven stone.

The ex-Liverpool player took to Twitter on Monday to show off his amazing transformation and later thanked fans for their supportive reaction.

After years of struggling with my weight, I decided it was finally time to take action.

Last year I had gastric sleeve surgery with @WeAreTransform_ & I’m well into my weight loss journey, to date I've lost 93lbs.

This is a fresh start & I’m excited about this new chapter. 😊 pic.twitter.com/QSPS6RkfMS

— Neil Ruddock (@RealRazor) March 6, 2023

 

Wandsworth-born Ruddock admitted he weighed close to 27 stone during lockdown.

The now 54-year-old began his career at Millwall and made 20 appearances during his time at Palace. Ruddock – capped once by England – also played for Spurs, West Ham and Southampton throughout his career.

Speaking with talkSPORT about his transformation, Ruddock said: “I couldn’t move, I was embarrassed of myself, and I couldn’t get anything to fit me. 

“I had to do something because it was getting out of control.

“It’s keyhole surgery. It’s not a gastric band, but it’s a gastric sleeve. They took 70 per cent of my stomach away – I only have 30 per cent left.

“It’s not like being on a diet – it’s hard to explain.

“I don’t miss food because I still get the satisfaction of eating what I want. I still get the taste, but I’m full up.

“You know when you’re playing and you’re on a diet and think: ‘I have to stop now – I would love to eat that.’

“I stop because I’m full up. I knew I was overweight. As soon as I lost weight, I can get in the gym and do what the physio and the doctors tell me.

“I can run around now, get on the bike, lift weights, walk up hills and play golf without the buggy. 

“The most important thing is my head – it’s in the best place. If your head is not straight, you’re not going to be the best version of yourself.

“In life, I had a bad, sad, glad and mad syndrome. When I was mad, I would have a drink and eat. If I was sad, I would have a drink and eat. If I’m glad and happy – drink and eat.

“Every emotion I had, the excuse I had was to eat and drink to get me out of that emotion. It was a cycle and routine that I couldn’t get out of.”