How Gwilym Pugh's beard kick-started his career as an international model

Model Gwilym Pugh's life changed when he lost 42kg ... and grew an impressive beard.

Now the Welshman, 33, travels the world modelling for high-end brands and generally inspiring envy on his popular Instagram account.

Pugh, who represented his country in basketball during his teens, found that a combination of injuries and a sedentary lifestyle of working from home (on a business he started at 21) made the weight stack on.

"I was pretty overweight, working 12 hours a day, plagued with injuries which meant I couldn't train at all," he told Wales Online.

"The business was doing okay, but I decided I needed to get my life in order and wanted to get healthy again."

He did so with a vengeance, going from 127kg to just 85kg.

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Pugh told Wales Online that he made the standard changes to his diet (read: more nutritional value; less takeaway), but that the biggest change came from leaving his desk. For about five years he focused on walking every day and still aims to average at least 15,000 steps.

READ MORE: Even a little bit of walking is better than no walking at all

"Generally trying to be active in some way throughout every day has been key," he said.

Still, it wasn't just the weight-loss that kick-started Pugh's career.

His distinctive red facial hair has played a big part, inspired by his barber Joel, who insisted he try it on discovering that Pugh was in a folk band.

A full beard later – as well as several years, a handful of modelling campaigns and nearly 200,000 Instagram followers – Pugh's life looks like something from the pages of a magazine. He credits Aussie girlfriend and travelling buddy Liz with keeping him grounded.

The former insurance salesman is now a hair ambassador (editor's note: amazing title) for David Beckham's male grooming range, House 99.

It makes sense. If Pugh's not proof of the life-changing power of a good hairdo (and/or beard-do), it's hard to say who is.