WE make a lot of important decisions when we turn 40.

For some, reaching the big four zero is the time for midlife crises.

For others it is an opportunity to chase unfulfilled dreams - for example, making a career change.

When Paul Gibbs turned 40 he was full of fear, being dangerously overweight at 17st and 7.5lbs.

It was what inspired him to join Slimming World and lose five and a half stones in less than a year last year.

Paul, from Colchester, now runs his own Slimming World group in Shrub End and has celebrated the group’s success by meeting chat show host and comedian, Alan Carr.

The much-loved TV personality co-hosted the annual Slimming World Awards with the organisation’s founder and chair Margaret Miles-Bramwell.

Paul, 41, runs a Slimming World group in Shrub End every Monday and at Philip Morant School in Colchester every Saturday.

He said: “The members at our group make me burst with pride, not only have they seen big changes on the scales, many have improved their health and completely changed their lives too.

“For many people taking that first step into a Slimming World group takes a huge amount of courage. But they’re always certain of a warm welcome and members support each other with motivation.

“Watching people grow in confidence each week and take on things they didn’t think possible before losing weight absolutely amazes me.

“Alan was left in awe of the difference Slimming World makes to people’s lives.”

Last year, Paul made it through to the national semi-finals of a slimming competition. He was one of 42 men across the UK to win a place in the Slimming World Man Of the Year contest.

His determination to lose so much weight had stemmed from three life events.

Being known as “one of the fatties” at work was the first.

Secondly, someone had told him he had “put on a bit of timber”.

The final straw came when he appeared in a photo on Facebook and realised it was not the person he wanted to be.

The former car salesman and Sainsbury’s delivery driver said it was still seen as unusual to have a man running a slimming group.

He said: “The stigma is definitely still there. I think the men in the group feel a bit more at ease with a man running it.

“I do still get comments about it. There are quite a few men running groups across the UK but in Essex there are only two or three. It’s quite eye-opening.”

Alan Carr, who presented comedy chat show Chatty Man on Channel 4, said it was great to meet the consultants.

He said: “I met so many people who had transformed their lives and it was clear how much the support they received from their Slimming World family meant to them.

“Every one of them spoke passionately about how they couldn’t have made those changes to eat more healthily and become more active without the support of consultants. I left the awards feeling so uplifted and positive, I wish I could’ve bottled that Slimming World feeling.”

Jennifer Bebb, who runs a Slimming World group at Greenstead Community Centre in Colchester, added: “Last year was our 50th year which was full of celebrations and successes.

“For anyone who may be thinking of taking that step to lose weight and improve their health this new year I truly believe joining a Slimming World group is the best way for people to learn new habits and make long-term healthy changes.

“At the Colchester groups they’ll discover a whole world of support to help them achieve their dreams and stay slim.”