A SUGAR addict who would eat up to 13 bowls of cereal a day has turned his life around after shedding three stone.

Phillip Patrick said he was motivated to quit granulated sugar by the negative reaction after he appeared in the Worcester News, national press and on the Jeremy Kyle show.

However, the father-of-one, from Tolladine, Worcester, said he has no regrets about taking part in the controversial show as they organised for him to have cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and counselling.

He has already gone from 16 and a half stone to 13 stone and has begun exercising at home to keep fit.

The 20-year-old said he initially contacted papers after facing a lengthy wait for help through his GP and wanted to speak out for other people who were also addicted to sugar.

Mr Patrick said: "The Jeremy Kyle show was filmed in January and since then I have cut out sugar completely.

"For the first few days I got headaches and felt a bit moody but after that I felt fine.

"I've lost thee stones and I'm much more energetic now.

"I walked into town the other day for the first time in years and I'm not getting exhausted.

"I'm generally feeling much happier in myself.

"I knew I was going to get some hate but I didn't think it was going to get as a bad as it did.

"But the hate made me feel more motivated to keep doing it and prove them all wrong."

Mr Patrick said the first few days were difficult but he has now switched his bowls of sugar-topped Cornflakes for healthier breakfast cereal such as Weetabix and Special K with no sugar.

At the height of his addiction, he was having 138 spoons of sugar on his cereal daily washed down with a cup of tea with six sugars putting himself at risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and tooth decay.

The problem was so bad girlfriend Sophie Richold took him on the Jeremy Kyle Show for a segment titled "I'll leave my boyfriend if he doesn't stop eating cereal".

She also issued an ultimatum during the episode, which was screened on Wednesday, saying "He needs to choose - it's me or the cereal."

But Mr Patrick said his girlfriend has been his rock and helps to keep him on the right path with his healthier lifestyle.

"I'm doing more exercise - walking more, running up and down stairs, using a boxing rope and my son keeps me on my feet too.

"Before all this happened I used to be fit and healthy and did boxing, karate and tae kwon do.

"I want to lose another stone and probably get into a gym and tone up a bit.

"Don't get me wrong, at times it has been very hard especially seeing the negative comment.

"I used to turn to sugar when I felt down so actually not having it in the house has been hard but I've dealt with it and my partner, family and friends have been very, very supportive.

"My girlfriend has been my rock throughout all this.

"If I ever had doubt she would give me a slap and say "no you're not having it [sugar]"

"Our relationship is better than ever."

Mr Patrick advised anyone else eating excess sugar to contact their GP.

"Don't try to give it up by yourself, talk to friends and family and believe in yourself.

"I will never go back to that lifestyle again."