South African Couple's Extreme Diet Leads to Life-Saving Transformation
When Dawid and Rose-Mari Lombard exchanged wedding vows, they never anticipated that their shared lifestyle would nearly bring them to an early grave, potentially orphaning their young son. The couple, residing in Winnie Mandela, formerly known as Brandfort in South Africa's Free State province, engaged in a daily consumption pattern that included demolishing an entire loaf of bread each, supplemented by unlimited quantities of junk food, all washed down with a staggering twelve litres of full-fat Coca-Cola daily.
A Diet of Destruction
Dawid Lombard, 39, recounted their former habits with stark clarity: "We existed on twelve litres of coke and two loaves of white bread every single day, plus junk food—lots and lots of junk food. On our way to McDonald's, we would stop at KFC for a road snack, and when evening cravings for sweetness struck, we would devour chocolates—a whole bag of Quality Street each."
This extreme dietary regime propelled the couple to a combined weight of 440 kilograms, equivalent to just under seventy stone. Consequently, they developed severe health complications, including high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, placing their lives in imminent danger.
The Turning Point: A Son's Plight
The Lombards' moment of reckoning arrived when they observed their ten-year-old son, Divan, enduring bullying due to their physical appearance and, alarmingly, beginning to follow the same path toward morbid obesity. This painful realisation spurred the couple into taking drastic action, ultimately leading to a collective weight loss of forty stone.
Dawid expressed his shame and motivation: "My son has to wear under-sixteen rugby jerseys at ten years old. I say this with shame—I saw my child in the same place I was at his age, and I wanted a better life for him."
Health Crises and Mobility Issues
Before their lifestyle overhaul, Dawid weighed nearly 300 kilograms, approximately forty-seven stone, more than double his wife's body weight. Medical professionals warned him he "wouldn't see forty," citing limited mobility that forced him to abandon his job. Dawid suffered from high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, and sleep apnoea, a condition where excess weight obstructs breathing.
"I thought every night might be my last," Dawid admitted, highlighting his dependence on family for basic tasks and noting that Divan "half-avoided" him due to his physical limitations.
Rose-Mari, weighing 140 kilograms, or just over twenty-two stone, faced similar health issues. She reflected on the social stigma: "There are so many people who gossiped about us, but to our faces they were friendly."
The Journey to Recovery
Working as sales agents for farm machinery, the couple reached breaking point in September 2024. Rose-Mari penned a heartfelt letter pleading for assistance from Dr Smook & Partners, a Bloemfontein-based medical practice specialising in weight management.
With professional guidance, Dawid and Rose-Mari embarked on their transformative journey. Dawid recalled initial anger: "I was angry when I first started on my weight loss journey—angry at failed diets, at friends and family who urged me to lose weight, at doctors who said I was killing myself, even at sugar itself!"
A biokineticist recommended starting with simple walks—just one hundred metres daily—accompanied by arm exercises using weights. In September 2024, Dawid, wearing compression socks and using a walking stick, ventured outside with Rose-Mari and Divan. Initially managing only two steps before resting, his determination saw daily walks increase to at least five kilometres.
Remarkable Physical Transformations
Within the first month, Dawid lost twenty kilograms, enabling him to fit behind the steering wheel of his new Ford Ranger Bakkie, albeit with difficulty. Rose-Mari remembered: "When Dawid tried to climb in, he couldn't fit. We drove sixty kilometres with constant honking as his stomach pressed against the hooter."
Today, Dawid has shed 183 kilograms, reducing his waist from 190 centimetres to 80 centimetres and his pants size from 62 to 36. Rose-Mari lost an impressive 81 kilograms, with her waist shrinking from 140 centimetres to 50 centimetres. Together, they have lost a staggering 264 kilograms, approximately forty stone.
Newfound Confidence and Health
After six months of fitness improvements, the couple joined a gym, initially too shy to exercise publicly and arranging private sessions. Now, they work out daily among others. Their treatment includes a dietitian-designed eating plan and hormone injections regulating glucose and appetite.
Rose-Mari explained their current diet: "We still eat well. It's about harmony and balance—protein, vegetables, healthy starches like brown rice and rye bread. We occasionally have sugar-free soft drinks, but mostly we live on water."
Dawid's health issues have "evaporated like mist burned off by the sun." He reflected: "When I look at myself now, I see the real me—the Dawid who was always inside that big body. I never realised who and what I could really be."
Family-Wide Benefits and Future Plans
Their son Divan has also benefited, losing ten kilograms after sugar and junk food were removed from the home. Rose-Mari noted Dawid's growing confidence: "He used to look at me while talking to people. It shows how much he's changed."
Rose-Mari has maintained her weight for five months without injections, relying on healthy habits, while Dawid continues treatment and aims for skin removal surgery for an estimated twenty kilograms of loose skin. Rose-Mari wears hers proudly: "Anyone who wants to laugh, I tell them, 'Do you know what I had to do to get these skin folds?'"
The couple now plans to purchase new wedding rings and hold a rededication ceremony, celebrating their new bodies and renewed promises. Their story stands as a powerful testament to the impact of determination and professional support in overcoming severe health challenges.
