A 34 stone pastry chef who was motivated to join a slimming class after suffering a life-changing brain tumour is celebrating losing a massive EIGHT stone – in just 15 months.
Rob Mallison, who works at Tickton Grange Hotel near Beverley, East Yorks., found himself constantly snacking to stave off hunger while working long hours in the kitchen and after a health scare, his weight had ballooned to 34 stone 5lbs.
Determined to fight the fat, the 6ft 8ins pastry chef joined Weight Watchers and after some initial trepidation about whether he would fit in, is now reaping the rewards.
He said: “I was skeptical about Weight Watchers at first, but a tumour on my brain caused me to gain loads of weight and stopped my legs from working.
“After major surgery and a long recovery, I was willing to give anything a try.
“The most difficult part was walking through the doors of my first meeting as I wasn’t sure if Weight Watchers was designed for men.
“I now know there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ Weight Watchers member – but at the time I was worried that a big, bearded ‘geezer’ that loves beers would not fit in.
“I shouldn’t have worried – my coach, Janet Wark, was so welcoming and friendly and I became one of the team immediately.”
Working as a pastry chef proved too tempting for Rob, who has now learned to plan his mealtimes which has helped him to stop the constant snacking and start shedding the weight.
“Before joining Weight Watchers, I assumed I would be eating nothing but salad and quinoa and that I would feel hungry all the time, but on the SmartPoints plan, this is not the case.
“I love the fact that I can still go to restaurants and enjoy a beer at gigs and concerts. SmartPoints has just taught me to be more mindful of what I eat and drink.
“I’ve not cut any foods out of my life. It is all about tracking what you eat and making sure that everything is eaten in moderation.
“At first I was embarrassed to tell people I’d joined Weight Watchers, but as the weight started to fall off, I was forced out of hiding.
“All my friends and family thought I’d been starving myself – they couldn’t believe I was continuing to eat all my favourite foods.”
Rob will be the first to admit that his journey hasn’t been plain sailing, and there were times when he would stand on the classroom scales and find out that he had put on weight.
However, that only spurred him on to stick at his regime and work even harder in the gym to lose the pounds.
Rob now weighs 26 stone 4lbs and is keen to dispel the myth that Weight Watchers is just for women.
He added: “I can’t thank them enough – I’m healthier, happier and lighter than I have been for a long time and I’ve made lots of new friends.
“I would definitely recommend Weight Watchers to any man or woman.
“I’m not your typical candidate but I would urge men especially to give it a try and stick at it – I can’t recommend it enough.”
