Shrinking Simmo: Losing 12 stone, finding running and starting again after 40

This week on The Middle-aged Bodcast, Rich and T.A. are joined by Mark, AKA Shrinking Simmo.At the start of 2025, Mark was around 25 stone and knew something had to change. Eighteen months later, he has lost 12 stone, rediscovered running, completed a half marathon and is preparing for the Great North Run.Mark talks about his weight loss journey, why he decided to share it on social media, the support he has found through TikTok and Instagram, and how accountability helped him keep going. We also talk about Couch to 5K, running after 40, setbacks, injury, confidence, body image, mental health, and why starting small can still lead to life-changing progress.As part of our support for Age UK’s Act Now, Age Better campaign, we also ask Mark what advice he would give to anyone in midlife who wants to become more active but does not know where to start. It's a brilliant reminder that it is never too late to make a change, and that sometimes the first step really is just getting out of the door.Mark is taking on the Great North Run in support of a cause close to his heart. Please support his fundraiser and help him make a difference.Follow Mark on his socials:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shrinkingsimmo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shrinking_simmo/Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shrinkingsimmo/📱 Follow The Middle-aged Bodcast Online!📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midagedbodcast📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/middleagedbodcast🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/MidagedBodcast🔵 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/middleagedbodcast.bsky.social🌐 Website: https://middleagedbodcast.co.ukIf you've enjoyed listening, we'd love it if you could follow the podcast, leave us a review and drop us a comment. Every follow, rating and bit of feedback helps more people find the Middle-aged Bodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.