Steve McCarthy lost an epic amount of weight and now has his sights set on Everest Base Camp. 

Paramedic Steve McCarthy – who was heavy for his 1.82m stature – initially started walking to raise money for the White Matter Brain Cancer Trust after he lost his Dad to the disease.

The charity’s support motivated him to try to give something back. Walking for the $7500 he ultimately achieved was the ‘something’ that kept him going: “I felt accountable for any and every dollar people could give. During Covid it was extraordinary.”

On the way though, two unexpected things happened: he lost more weight than he anticipated and he fell in love with nature and got hooked on tramping.

“It’s absolutely incredible what’s out there,” he says. “The wilderness is spectacular.”

An achievement-laden trip around   Mt Ruapehu with workmates was a  turning point; Steve had already lost 40kg and thought, ‘I never want to stay on that couch again!’

“To lose that ‘tire’ from around your waist is incredible,” he says. “You’re walking further in the same   time and enjoying it more.”

Steve walks every day and over a year travelled 3010km, and dropped from 150kg to 94kg.

And the height of his 2023 aspirations are inversely proportional to his weight loss journey. His next destination? Everest Base Camp.

Join Steve and thousands of others in making 2023 your best year ever. Join Walk1200km.