They Drank 12 Liters of Coke and Ate Two Loaves a Day—Then Lost 40 Stone for Their Son’s Future

When Dawid and Rose-Mari Lombard took their vows to stay together ‘until death do us part’, they likely never imagined they were eating their way to an early demise—risking leaving their young son behind as an orphan in just a few short years.

Residing in Winnie Mandela (formerly known as Brandfort) in South Africa’s Free State, the husband and wife had a daily habit of devouring an entire loaf of bread each. They would wash this down, along with endless amounts of junk food, using a staggering 12 litres of regular, full-sugar Coca-Cola.

“Our daily fuel consisted of 12 litres of Coke and two full loaves of white bread, alongside massive quantities of junk food,” recalled 39-year-old Dawid. “We’d grab snacks from KFC en route to McDonald’s, and for late-night sugar cravings, we’d each polish off an entire bag of Quality Street chocolates.”

At their heaviest, the Lombards reached a massive combined weight of 440kg (nearly 70 stone). Unsurprisingly, they faced a barrage of severe medical complications, including high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

However, a harsh wake-up call arrived when they realized their 10-year-old son, Divan, was facing bullying at school due to his parents’ massive size. Even worse, the boy was tragically heading down the exact same path toward morbid obesity. This realization prompted the couple to take radical action, eventually dropping a staggering combined total of 40 stone.

“At just 10 years old, Divan had to squeeze into under-16 rugby shirts,” Dawid shared. “It breaks my heart to say it, but seeing him exactly where I was at his age made me desperate to give him a better future.”

Following a complete household ban on junk food and sugar, young Divan has also experienced remarkable health benefits, dropping 10kg (about 22lbs, or roughly 1.5 stone).

Prior to this monumental lifestyle shift, Dawid tipped the scales at nearly 300kg (about 47 stone)—more than double the weight of his wife. Medical professionals grimly cautioned him that he wouldn’t live to see his 40th birthday. His immense size forced him to quit his job as a farm machinery sales agent and severely restricted his daily movements.

Dawid battled severe inflammation, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnoea—a dangerous condition where excess neck weight causes breathing to stop during sleep. “I went to sleep terrified it might be my last night,” he confessed.

Heavily reliant on his family for even basic needs due to his lack of mobility, Dawid noticed that Divan practically “half-avoided” him.

Rose-Mari, who weighed 140kg (over 22 stone), shared many of the same debilitating ailments as her husband. “People acted friendly to our faces, but we knew there were so many who gossiped about us behind our backs,” she reflected.

The turning point finally arrived in September 2024, when the couple decided they could not live like this anymore.

 

@rxmegroup He once weighed 304 kg. Dawid set a goal of 120 kg. He didn’t just reach it -he went beyond it. Today, he weighs 115 kg. We are incredibly proud of you. Your courage, your consistency, and your commitment have changed more than your body – they’ve changed a future. If this speaks to you, comment “GOAL” and our team will reach out to you. #RXME #DrSmookAndPartners #HealthJourney #BeyondTheScale #MetabolicHealth #WhyWeDoThis ♬ original sound – RxME – Practice Manager

Desperate, Rose-Mari penned a letter pleading for assistance from Dr Smook & Partners, a Bloemfontein-based medical clinic specializing in weight management. Under the guidance of their medical team, Dawid and Rose-Mari began to shed the lethal kilos.

Looking back on his early mindset, Dawid admitted, “Initially, I was just furious about the whole process. I was mad at the endless failed diets, at the relatives who had begged me to change, at the doctors warning me about my death, and even furious at sugar itself!”

A biokineticist advised Dawid to start incredibly small: walk just 100 meters daily and use light weights for arm exercises.

One morning in September 2024, wielding a walking stick and wearing compression socks, he finally stepped out of his front door—a rare occurrence at the time. Flanked by Divan and Rose-Mari, he could only manage two steps before pausing to rest, yet he consistently persevered. Today, that grueling 100m has transformed into a routine 5km daily walk.

During the first month of his new regimen, Dawid dropped 20kg (3st 2lb), hoping it would finally allow him to fit into his brand-new pickup truck, a Ford Ranger Bakkie.

“They decorated the Bakkie with a red ribbon for collection day,” Rose-Mari recalled. “But when Dawid tried to get in, he couldn’t squeeze behind the steering wheel. Even after flattening the seat to create more room, his stomach remained pressed against the horn. We drove the entire 60km journey back home from Bloemfontein with a constant honking sound.”

With those embarrassing moments firmly in the rearview mirror, Dawid is literally less than half the man he used to be. He has lost an unbelievable 183kg (29st). His waist has plummeted from 190cm to 80cm, and his trousers dropped from a size 62 to a 36.

Rose-Mari, meanwhile, achieved a phenomenal 81kg (almost 13st) weight loss, trimming her waist from 140cm to just 50cm.

Collectively, they have cast off an awe-inspiring 264kg (around 40st).

Half a year into their journey, they signed up for a local gym. Initially too self-conscious to exercise around the general public, they arranged for a personal trainer to open the facility an hour early so they could train privately. Today, they confidently work out in front of others every single day.

Their ongoing treatment combines a strict dietitian-approved eating plan with hormone injections designed to control appetite and regulate blood sugar and glucose levels.

“We still eat well; it’s just about harmony and balance now,” Rose-Mari explained. “Our meals consist of healthy starches like rye bread and brown rice, lean proteins, and vegetables. We occasionally treat ourselves to soft drinks, but strictly the sugar-free kind. Mostly, we live on water.”

“When I look at myself now, I see the real me—the Dawid who was always buried inside that big body,” Dawid said. “I never realized who and what I could truly be.”

Today, his former anger and desire to hide away have completely morphed into profound gratitude.

“My health problems have evaporated like mist burned off by the sun,” Dawid added. “I never thought I’d be where I am now. Doctors told me I wouldn’t see 40—but then I met people who truly believed in me for the first time, who were willing to walk a path with me.”

Rose-Mari noted that their lives have changed in small but incredibly mighty ways, pointing out her husband’s soaring confidence. “He actually looks at me while talking to people now. It shows just how much he’s changed.”

Rose-Mari successfully stopped her hormone injections five months ago and maintains her physique through good eating habits and exercise. Completely free of her previous health problems, she hopes that she and Dawid (who remains on the injections) will be able to conceive another child soon.

While Dawid has reached his target weight, he hopes to undergo surgery to remove his loose skin, which weighs an estimated 20kg.

Rose-Mari, however, wears hers as a badge of honor. “If anyone wants to laugh about it or point it out, I just want to tell them, ‘Do you know what I had to do to get these skin folds?'”

Now, ready to celebrate their vibrant new lives, the couple plans to purchase new wedding rings and hold a rededication ceremony—making fresh promises to one another in their brand-new bodies.