Mark Frost with a pair of the XXXXXL trousers he wore before a gastric bypass operation helped him lose 10 stone in six months.
A CHEF who shed 10 stone in six months believes stomach surgery saved his life. Now Mark Frost is urging other overweight men to think about the health risks before it is too late.
After years of failed diets, poor eating habits and lack of exercise, the chef/manager and tenant at the L’Eree Bay Hotel saw his weight gradually increase to 26-and-a-half stone.
As well as frequent snacking during long working hours in hotel kitchens, the 6ft 2in food-lover, nicknamed Frosty by his friends, was constantly surrounded by his biggest temptation: chocolate.
Family genes also made him physically prone to pile on the pounds, he believes.
For years he hid his embarrassment from friends until finally deciding to have a gastric bypass.
‘I knew I was obese. But like many blokes, I didn’t talk about my weight problem in any serious way.
‘It didn’t seem a manly thing to do. I would just make the odd joke about my fat stomach, they laughed and I pretended I didn’t care,’ he said.
But behind the smiles, the 43-year-old, whose overweight father died from heart disease at the age of 36, was worried he was putting his long-term health at risk.
After hearing feedback from other gastric-bypass patients – including his sister Rachel’s success story – he finally plucked up the courage to have the surgery in January.
Now, just a few months later, he weighs in at 16-and-a-half stone and is expected to lose at least another two. He also looks at least 10 years younger than in this photo, left, which was taken last summer.
Although usually extremely private, he is keen to share his story with Guernsey Press readers.
‘I don’t want to brag about losing weight or to promote surgery – a bypass isn’t automatically the answer for everyone – although I would recommend it.
‘I would just like other men to read my story and know there is a way out of something that can dictate your whole life and future.’
Talking about it is the first step, he said. ‘Women chat about diets and weight all the time, whereas I, like other seriously overweight men, was always too shy. My mum was the only one who felt she could mention it.’
He knew his friends and customers had noticed his size escalating to, at one stage, an XXXXXL but did not know how to broach the subject. ‘Like most blokes, we didn’t discuss diets. There aren’t usually articles in newspapers or special TV shows for us.’
But today the drastic weight loss has transformed his health, confidence and social life.
‘The main thing is that the staring has stopped. When I used to go out, that’s the thing that hurt the most.
‘I tell people that and they say I should share my story – it might help other overweight men see there could be a much better life out there.’
*Guernsey’s health promotion manager Yvonne Le Page declined to comment on gastric surgery, though she did advise healthy eating and exercise as recommended in the Health and Soscial Services Department’s various courses, including a men-only group starting in October.
* A Green Paper is currently out for consultation as part of an overall obesity strategy for the Bailiwick.
Article posted on 8th September, 2008 - 2.30pm
7 Article Comments
im going in for a gastric bypass and i give you the compliment boy you look good.
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Instead of taking the easy option and getting surgery, why not do what normal people do? Stop eating rubbish and do some exercise.
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well done …a very big change in your life i wish you well
Such a shame this kind of operation is not offered cheaper .as it could save money on other illnesses
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i just want to praise you, i have been overweight for years especially since giving birth, and i have tried every diet and exercise programme available, i have a slow metab, and i really am having a problem now as my son is 3 yrs old,( and aware tht mummy is too scared to join him n the swimming pool. i do not have the money for this procedure and only wish tht i could have this done , my self esteem and self identity just seems to be fading away.
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This operation is becoming more and more popular but is not a panacea for obesity – both gastric bypass and gastric banding (which is basically a water filled rubber band placed around the stomach) are major operations and should not be entered into lightly.
In the end it comes down to one thing: eating less, eating healthily and getting exercise. The (expensive) gastric surgery means that people physically cannot eat as much but it is not without its problems. There was a very interesting programmed on BBC radio 4 about it and research proved that many of the problems were psychological in the first instance and also bad habits which exacerbated problems. As people get more and more overweight it becomes more and more difficult to exercise etc. Then they get depressed and comfort eat.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/casenotes_20051004.shtml
I have friends who have had surgery and lost a lot of weigh but some of them (by no means all) are now starting to put it on again as they liquidise their high calorie foods of the past, as it has become a craving which they cannot ignore. The psychological problems were ignored and therefore are still a major problem.
There is no doubt that Mark Frost has done extremely well, especially as he is a chef and must face temptation on a daily basis – so well done Mark!
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A word of caution about this operation. I had a co-worker who had this operation. He suffered complications and died. No surgery is simple.
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I take my hat off to you Frosty, I am fully aware of how you must have felt before. Putting on a brave face, trying to take all the jokes, sarcasm & remarks on the chin.
I was a size 10 in my last year of school and I have let myself go over the last 8 years since having children to the extent that I hardly go out anymore or take my childre out anywhere due to the shame and embarrassment.
I’ve tried Weight Watchers, Atkins, Slim Fast etc and yes I lose a bit and then I give up. I have now changed my eating habits in that I don’t eat the portions I was or the fat content I was eating, this has meant that I am now 15 stone and I haven’t put on any weight for months but to get rid of it is really hard.
After speaking with you and 3 other people I know that have had the same surgery I know that this is what I want for me.
I have another appointment with my Dr this week so fingers crossed.
Well Done Mark, you’ve been an inspiration!
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