It takes guts to go on a diet - but a group of friends has chosen an unusual way to fight flab.

A trio of pals has decided to bite the bullet and fight the battle of the bulge - on national television.

Colin Raymond, Jon Butterwick and Chris Bacci are making regular appearances on Channel 4's daily Why Weight? programme to keep viewers up to date with their slimming regime.

The gauntlet was thrown down when Jon - a Maldon policeman - went shopping with his wife.

Colin, of The Square in Tillingham, near Maldon, said: "Jon and his wife were shopping at Lakeside, and there was this big display up there saying 'do you want to lose weight?'

"His wife said 'yes, you do', and I think Chris and I got lumbered because we were the fattest people he knew."

Colin had been thinking about trying to lose weight for a while and was hoping a new slimline look might help him find the love of his life, while Chris, from Bradwell, was eager to shed the pounds in a bid to improve his windsurfing performance.

It has not been easy but the lads - as they are known on the show - are more than happy with the results.

Four weeks into the diet and with nine more to go, the men are doing far better than the other four groups featured on Why Weight?

Jon has lost 19lbs, Chris 17lbs and Colin 16lbs. Colin said: "It has been a combination of diet and exercise, but the most important thing is to change your attitude.

"I really wasn't happy the way I was, and doing the programme has given us all a bit more motivation."

Although losing weight has not been as hard as the men had feared, there are some things that they still cannot get used to.

"I've not found it too difficult," said Colin. "But giving up fry-ups has definitely been the hardest thing.

"We used to go for a drink on Friday nights, and then meet up down the cafe the next morning to have a fry-up and talk about the night before. I really miss that."

If you want to check on the lads performance, Why Weight? is on daily at 12.30pm.

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