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Barber Tells This ‘Shy’ Insurance Man To Grow A Beard, And It Ends Up Transforming His Life
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'Shy' Insurance Man Grows Ginger Beard, Becomes World Class Model

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If our list of men before-and-after growing a beard growing a beard didn’t convince you that males look way better with facial hair, this story definitely will. Gwilym Pugh was a 21-year-old businessman man who started a successful insurance company in his spare bedroom. However, working from home and injuries made him gain a lot of weight. 280 pounds, to be exact. However, his life-damaging lifestyle changed after his barber urged Gwilym to grow a ginger beard!

“At that time I was pretty overweight, working 12 hours a day, plagued with injuries which meant I couldn’t train at all,” the Welshman told Kathryn Williams from Wales Online. “The business was doing okay, but I decided I need to get my life in order and wanted to get healthy again.”

Gwilym and his friends formed a folk band several years ago. His barber told him to grow a beard to look the part. In line with his new look, the freshly-baked musician decided to expand his transformation cleaning up his diet. The biggest change, however, was quitting his desk job.

“It was the best thing for my health as I stopped sitting for nine to 10 hours a day,” the man who lost 90 pounds over five years explained. As he was shedding weight and growing his beard, Gwilym created an Instagram account. Eventually, Welsh tailor Nathan Palmer stumbled across the now beard model’s picture, and things began escalating really fast.

Now, Gwilym is part of the London agency AMCK Models. He has worked on campaigns with Vans, Bud Light, Diesel, and other big names. His hard work even allowed him to become an ambassador for David Beckham’s new male grooming brand, House 99!

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Scroll through pictures of Gwilym Pugh’s weight loss transformation, and you might find the much-needed inspiration to change your life for better, too!

More info: Instagram

Gwilym Pugh was a shy man, working 12 hours a day from his home

Image credits: WalesOnline

But his life was never the same after Gwilym’s barber urged him to grow a beard

Image credits: gwilymcpugh

This is how the man looks now

Image credits: Adam Fussell / AMCK Models

“A picture says a thousand words…. Coming from being 22 years old, overweight, plagued with injuries, and unhappy barely leaving the house”

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“I’m happier and healthier than I ever thought possible and doing things that didn’t even cross my mind to dream of”

Image credits: Adam Fussell / AMCK Models

Working as a model, Gwilym is even an ambassador of David Beckham’s new male grooming brand

Image credits: House 99

Despite his success, Gwilym remains humble

Image credits: gwilymcpugh

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“I think I’m lucky I got into this profession at the age that I did”

Image credits: Gwilym C Pugh

“I try not to get caught up in it all and my girlfriend helps a great deal wit that”

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“Having worked in finance for years, the opportunity to work with creative people and travel around the world is amazing”

Image credits: Exposure London

“It was the best thing for my health”

Image credits: gwilymcpugh

In keeping with his new look, Gwilym’s constantly maintaining his body

Image credits: gwilymcpugh

“Regular osteo treatment and morning mobility and HIIT workouts are what’s in order”

Image credits: Gwilym C Pugh

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If this won’t convince you to grow a beard, we don’t know what will

Image credits: Gwilym C Pugh

Image credits: Gwilym C Pugh

Image credits: gwilymcpugh

Image credits: Gwilym C Pugh

Image credits: gwilymcpugh

Image credits: Edo Brugué

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Image credits: gwilymcpugh

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Monika Brazaitytė

Monika Brazaitytė

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This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

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Monika Brazaitytė

Monika Brazaitytė

Author, Community member

This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

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Kimberly Robinson
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He looks ten times better but it's not just because of the beard. He lost weight, ditched the geek glasses, sculpted his body, dyed his hair redder and started wearing colored contacts in a more intense shade of blue. All of that, together, makes him look better.

Captain Planet
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OMG that's amazing. His beard even made him muscles and dress better. If I didn't know better it'd say him altering his entire lifestyle would be the cause of that and not A beard. Dressing better, working out, not smiling anymore in any pictures. Eating better probably as well. He even got a personal photographer that brings him to a lot more interesting places to take photos of him. That's some beard. Makes it also seem alot easier if you just have to get a beard to get all that. This is an eye opener Boredpanda.

John L
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Monika, I may have been born at night, but not last night. You begin things by stating that he was a shy, but successful, insurance businessman. That's an oxymoron. I have Never, ever seen an insurance salesman, who was shy. They don't exist. Granted he made a life-changing decision, but the beard was the result of, not the cause of this.

Cristina Loayza
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not really! I am very very shy, and working from home, you can talk over the phone or type, and you do not have to meet the people! That's why its bad! One gets into a room and not socialise at all.

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Kimberly Robinson
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He looks ten times better but it's not just because of the beard. He lost weight, ditched the geek glasses, sculpted his body, dyed his hair redder and started wearing colored contacts in a more intense shade of blue. All of that, together, makes him look better.

Captain Planet
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OMG that's amazing. His beard even made him muscles and dress better. If I didn't know better it'd say him altering his entire lifestyle would be the cause of that and not A beard. Dressing better, working out, not smiling anymore in any pictures. Eating better probably as well. He even got a personal photographer that brings him to a lot more interesting places to take photos of him. That's some beard. Makes it also seem alot easier if you just have to get a beard to get all that. This is an eye opener Boredpanda.

John L
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Monika, I may have been born at night, but not last night. You begin things by stating that he was a shy, but successful, insurance businessman. That's an oxymoron. I have Never, ever seen an insurance salesman, who was shy. They don't exist. Granted he made a life-changing decision, but the beard was the result of, not the cause of this.

Cristina Loayza
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not really! I am very very shy, and working from home, you can talk over the phone or type, and you do not have to meet the people! That's why its bad! One gets into a room and not socialise at all.

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Load More Comments
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