text: A former bomb disposal expert has won his battle with the bulge after shedding half his bodyweight after undergoing gastric bypass surgery. Steve Tempest-Mitchell, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, lost a whopping 16st after the surgery 14 months ago, which caused his stomach to shrink to the size of a tennis ball. The 56-year-old said he decided to go through with the operation after hitting 32st and struggling to control his Type 2 diabetes. Scroll down for video . Slim and trim: Steve Tempest-Mitchell says he has a new lease of life after slimming down from 32st to 16st . 'It was a case of going in for the surgery and hoping to come out the other side,' said the father-of-three. This was a life changing and life threatening decision for me to make. 'At 32st, it was not an easy decision as I had been turned down for the surgery two and a half years previously . 'It had got to a point where something had to be done because I was slowly killing myself. I was just waiting for something awful to happen and even needed psychiatric help.' Although he never indulged in binge-eating, Mr Tempest-Mitchell says he would eat smaller portions at regular intervals and was drinking around eight cans of cola a day. But the former bomb disposal expert hadn't always been big and he says that growing up, he lived an active lifestyle, regularly playing rugby and competing in wrestling. Flashback: Mr Tempest-Mitchell said he was almost a recluse when he was at his biggest (above) As he got older, he began to struggle with his weight thanks to a lifestyle of long-haul flights, business meetings and boozy evenings spent entertaining clients. Mr Tempest-Mitchell also had to contend with some highly stressful situations while working as a bomb disposal expert between 1996 and 2005 in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was employed as a contractor with the Ministry of Defence. Using high-pressure water technology, he would set about the grim task of defusing bombs. 'It was a very stressful situation,' he explains. 'Not only have you got to handle the situation of defusing the threat of the bomb but you are in dangerous territory as well under guard from soldiers. Helping hand: The former bomb disposal expert said he needed to be pushed in a wheelchair to board a plane . 'We were very lucky as one of the bases we were stationed at was attacked by a rocket launcher just weeks after we left.' Mr Tempest-Mitchell, who is now a business development manager at a demolition and asbestos removal firm, said as the years went by, his weight crept up. 'I had a very active lifestyle before my work and life balance was disrupted and I began to not have time to eat right,' he said. 'I was never one of those people who would eat massive amounts of food where you are stunned by the amount but I did have small portions regularly. 'Ever since I was a child, I always drank coke. At one point, I was having between six to eight cans a day. I have had to completely cut coke out of my life as well as other fizzy drinks. I don't mind if I never have one again.' The father-of-three said his weight affected his self confidence and esteem . As a result of the weight gain, Mr Tempest-Mitchell almost became housebound at his heaviest and was forced to plan every trip out. His weight issues even affected his working life, as well as his confidence and self esteem. 'I was forced to park the car as close as possible to wherever I was going, if I couldn't, I'd have to turn back and go home,' he recalls. 'I was almost becoming a recluse as I was unable to visit sites for my work so instead worked from home. I was becoming a burden on my family, especially when we tried to go on holiday. I had to be taken to the plane by a buggy or wheelchair.' Fed up, he took the plunge and opted for surgery - a decision that coincided with him finding that he was about to become a grandfather. Both of his daughters, aged 26 and 36, were expecting babies. 'My one daughter came to see me while I was recovering from the operation and broke the news that she was pregnant,' said Mr Tempest-Mitchell, who also has a 34-year-old son. Although he never indulged in eating too many snacks, he said he would drink up to eight cans of coke a day . 'I was so thrilled as I knew the success of the surgery would allow me to be more active and enjoy spending time with them as they are growing up.' As well as losing more than a stone a month, he has also seen his waist shrink from 66 inches to 42 inches and his chest go down from 66 inches to 48 inches. 'Now I feel like I am a new man,' he said. 'I have the energy to play with my grandchildren, who are both nearly one, which I would not have been able to do before.'
target: Steve Tempest-Mitchell had gastric bypass surgery to shrink his stomach .
  The 56-year-old took drastic measure after tipping the scales at 32st .
  Bradford father-of-three was struggling to control diabetes .
  Almost housebound and was consuming eight cans of fizzy drinks a day .
  Had to be helped onto a plane in a wheelchair or special buggy .