Worked out, watched diet

He trained intensively for six hours a day, six days a week. He does a combination of indoor and outdoor trainings.

Indoor ones include cardio-based interval trainings, weight, plank and strength trainings and even muay thai padworks. Outdoor ones include hiking, jogging and walks.

He also watched his diet like a hawk. He used to eat double portions of rice each meal. Now he eats fish soup without rice for lunch and he varies it with foods of similar nature. He eats less calories than what he can burn a day, he said.

In three months, he lost a further 37kg, making it a total of 71kg shed.

Mr Hafiz did not win the "At Home Contestant" prize, but he gained in many other ways.

Not only did he find a girlfriend, he could also enjoy many things in life that he had missed out on all these years.

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He said: "Finally, I could walk into any shop and pick out clothes from the rack.

"No longer did I have to hunt for plus-sized clothes at specific places like Peninsula Shopping Centre."

He used to wear size 6XL. Now he wears either a size M or L. His pants size shrunk from 55 inches to 38 inches.

Now, he works as a fitness instructor and hopes to inspire others to follow in his footsteps.

He lost a further 4kg since the finale of the Biggest Loser Asia in March this year.

He said: "As a paramedic, I used to help people when it was too late. Now, I want to help people before it is too late.

"I want to share my story. If I can do it, so can you."

The challenges that Mr Hafiz faced when he was obese were not unique to him.

A technician who weights 150kg and only wants to be known as Brock, 24, said he could relate to Mr Hafiz's story.

He said: "When I walk at crowded places, people will automatically make way for me to pass.

"The air stewardess will also pass me an extra seat belt without me asking for it."

An employer rejected his job application with the excuse that they "might not have a technician suit of my size".

His friends also tease him but he said he has grown numb to them.

But unlike Mr Hafiz, he has no intention to lose weight as he said he feels healthy. He said: "I'm happy the way I am, so be it."

This article was first published in The New Paper.