By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 04:15 EST, 19 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:26 EST, 14 March 2013 . In 2011, James Mason was so dangerously obese he was given just five years to live. At 27, and already tipping the scales at 39 stone, the death sentence finally proved the spur he needed to shed the weight. Now, just over a year and a half on, and Mr Mason, from Hockley, Essex, is less than half the man he was after shedding a huge 23 stone during nine months at a Thai boxing camp. Scroll down for video . In 2011, James Mason was so dangerously obese he was given just five years to live. But he quickly changed his life around by packing up and moving to a Thai boxing camp . By the time he was 27 he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a 58-inch waist . Mr Mason admitted his weight crept up as he regularly binged on greasy, fried food and meals out while working as a second-hand car salesman. By the time he was 27 he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a 58-inch waist. His health was extremely poor and his weight was causing a host of ailments, including breathing trouble, swollen legs and other serious physical problems. After the stark diagnosis, Mr Mason turned to the internet for help. He found training camp Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand, booked a flight, and took the drastic decision to leave his job and move to the country. Before ( left)  he was 39 stone, now (right) he has lost more than 24 stone through a hard line Thai boxing exercise regime . Despite struggling to even walk around the camp when he first arrived, his training soon began in earnest. Each morning he would run 5.5km on an empty stomach followed by a breakfast of fresh fruit salad, and took part in three or four high-energy Thai boxing sessions every day. Whereas before he would feast on greasy takeaways and high fat snacks, now a typical dinner was grilled chicken, with vegetables and brown rice. He said: 'When I was at school I was captain of the basketball team, l played rugby too. 'When I went to work I got lazy. My weight just crept up on me over the years, I didn't want to admit to myself that I needed to change my life. Mr Mason struggled to even walk around the camp when he first arrived, but his training soon began in earnest . He was soon taking part in three or four high - energy Thai boxing sessions every day . Each morning he would run 5.5km on an empty stomach followed by a breakfast of fresh fruit salad . At 39 stone Mr Mason dwarfs his opponent but he could barely breathe when he first started his exercise routine . Mr Mason is now training people all over the world thanks to his time at the camp and has lost a huge 24 stone . 'One day I went to the hospital and they said 'you have got five years to live'. I then went on the internet and found Thai training camp Tiger Muay Thai and then just upped and left. 'Now I am training people all over the world.' Mr Mason, who has kept a blog of his time in Thailand, and is now back in the UK for Christmas, said his family and friends cannot believe the change. He said: 'People still don't recognise me. 'Mum and dad recognised me at the airport, just, but they had to take a second glance! Some friends here have walked straight past me.' But the journey has not been easy for Mr Mason. By the time Mr Mason was 27 he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a 58-inch waist . While he battled with his weight, he also caught a flesh eating bug, necrotizing fasciitis, and could have lost his leg . Mr Mason is now determined to keep his healthy lifestyle going and has organised a 750 mile bike ride from Phuket to Bangkok in January to raise money for disabled children . While he battled with his weight, he also caught a flesh-eating bug, necrotizing fasciitis, and could have lost his leg. After spending three months in hospital in Thailand, followed by six months back in the UK to recover, he finally returned to the camp to carry on with his hardline weight loss routine. He said: 'It was a struggle to walk 400 metres to begin with and now I am running 10km every morning. It changed my life. I am training four or five times a day. 'I was badly ill in August 2011, I was out of action for three months and had three operations to cut both my legs open and cut the infection out.' Mr Mason is now determined to keep his healthy lifestyle going and has organised a 750-mile bike ride from Phuket to Bangkok in January to raise money for disabled children in the country. He added: 'It is going to be tough, but it is nice to give back.' To sponsor his bike ride, go to weightlossthailand.com or to find out more about the For Life charity, visit www.4lifethailand.org .
James Mason, from Essex, was 39 stone when doctors told him he had five years to live .
By the time he was 27, he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a 58-inch waist .
But now, thanks to a Thai boxing camp, he is less than half the man he was .
By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 04:15 EST, 19 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:26 EST, 14 March 2013 . In 2011, James Mason was so dangerously obese he was given just five years to live. At 27, and already tipping the scales at 39 stone, the death sentence finally proved the spur he needed to shed the weight. Now, just over a year and a half on, and Mr Mason, from Hockley, Essex, is less than half the man he was after shedding a huge 23 stone during nine months at a Thai boxing camp. Scroll down for video . In 2011, James Mason was so dangerously obese he was given just five years to live. But he quickly changed his life around by packing up and moving to a Thai boxing camp . By the time he was 27 he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a 58-inch waist . Mr Mason admitted his weight crept up as he regularly binged on greasy, fried food and meals out while working as a second-hand car salesman. By the time he was 27 he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a 58-inch waist. His health was extremely poor and his weight was causing a host of ailments, including breathing trouble, swollen legs and other serious physical problems. After the stark diagnosis, Mr Mason turned to the internet for help. He found training camp Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand, booked a flight, and took the drastic decision to leave his job and move to the country. Before ( left)  he was 39 stone, now (right) he has lost more than 24 stone through a hard line Thai boxing exercise regime . Despite struggling to even walk around the camp when he first arrived, his training soon began in earnest. Each morning he would run 5.5km on an empty stomach followed by a breakfast of fresh fruit salad, and took part in three or four high-energy Thai boxing sessions every day. Whereas before he would feast on greasy takeaways and high fat snacks, now a typical dinner was grilled chicken, with vegetables and brown rice. He said: 'When I was at school I was captain of the basketball team, l played rugby too. 'When I went to work I got lazy. My weight just crept up on me over the years, I didn't want to admit to myself that I needed to change my life. Mr Mason struggled to even walk around the camp when he first arrived, but his training soon began in earnest . He was soon taking part in three or four high - energy Thai boxing sessions every day . Each morning he would run 5.5km on an empty stomach followed by a breakfast of fresh fruit salad . At 39 stone Mr Mason dwarfs his opponent but he could barely breathe when he first started his exercise routine . Mr Mason is now training people all over the world thanks to his time at the camp and has lost a huge 24 stone . 'One day I went to the hospital and they said 'you have got five years to live'. I then went on the internet and found Thai training camp Tiger Muay Thai and then just upped and left. 'Now I am training people all over the world.' Mr Mason, who has kept a blog of his time in Thailand, and is now back in the UK for Christmas, said his family and friends cannot believe the change. He said: 'People still don't recognise me. 'Mum and dad recognised me at the airport, just, but they had to take a second glance! Some friends here have walked straight past me.' But the journey has not been easy for Mr Mason. By the time Mr Mason was 27 he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a 58-inch waist . While he battled with his weight, he also caught a flesh eating bug, necrotizing fasciitis, and could have lost his leg . Mr Mason is now determined to keep his healthy lifestyle going and has organised a 750 mile bike ride from Phuket to Bangkok in January to raise money for disabled children . While he battled with his weight, he also caught a flesh-eating bug, necrotizing fasciitis, and could have lost his leg. After spending three months in hospital in Thailand, followed by six months back in the UK to recover, he finally returned to the camp to carry on with his hardline weight loss routine. He said: 'It was a struggle to walk 400 metres to begin with and now I am running 10km every morning. It changed my life. I am training four or five times a day. 'I was badly ill in August 2011, I was out of action for three months and had three operations to cut both my legs open and cut the infection out.' Mr Mason is now determined to keep his healthy lifestyle going and has organised a 750-mile bike ride from Phuket to Bangkok in January to raise money for disabled children in the country. He added: 'It is going to be tough, but it is nice to give back.' To sponsor his bike ride, go to weightlossthailand.com or to find out more about the For Life charity, visit www.4lifethailand.org .
Essex, is less than half the man he was after given just five years to live. But he quickly to a Thai boxing camp . By the time he was 27 he was wearing XXXXXXXXL clothes and trousers with a country. Before ( left)  he was 39 stone, now trousers with a 58-inch waist . While he battled