MAKING HIS MARK
The Chase’s Mark ‘The Beast’ Labbett reveals he’s dropped from size 5XL to XL after losing 10 stone by cutting sugar
THE Chase star Mark Labbett has revealed he’s dropped from a size 5XL to XL in underpants – after losing 10 stone.
The Beast showed off his sensational weight loss after cutting down on sugar and carbs on ITV's Loose Women today.
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Speaking to panellists Kaye Adams, Stacey Solomon and Linda Robson, the ITV quizzer, who towers at 6ft 6in tall, revealed he was a whopping 29 stone when he worked as a teacher 18 years ago.
The 55-year-old Oxford graduate explained: "I am gradually dropping Xs off my size. I've gone from 5XL to 4XL and it looks like the next time I go shopping I'll be able to squeeze into XL underpants.
"I've lost 10 stone, I was 29 stone when I was a full time teacher in 2003 and I was in danger of high blood pressure.
"I've been around 26 stone up until lockdown, and then a few things happened quite nicely and came together and I started losing weight."
Asked how he's achieved such a feat, the dad of one added: "The principle thing is running around after a hyperactive toddler when nurseries have been shut. How do you keep up with them?
"I found at the end of the evening instead of going to the fridge for late night snacking, all I could do was collapse on the bed."
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Mark secretly battled Covid-19 last year — prompting him to go on to lose almost five stone in lockdown.
He said: "I've been lucky in that I had suspected Covid last year, I lost my sense of taste and smell, and I didn't want to eat for a fortnight, and as a big guy the weight falls off.
"As a combination of things I am on a high protein diet, eating lots of lean meat. As much as I love chips and other carbs I'm eating a lot less, now it's a virtuous cycle, you eat less, you want less.
"I'm not a drinker but sugar has always been my downfall. A good friend of mine who had the gastric band said it won't do any good for me as I get all my calories by sugar, and it's too easy to digest.
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"I still have sugar but an awful lot less, I should have less still."
Mark admitted he had a soft spot for meals out in his local pub, and can't wait to treat himself – but will have to watch those portion sizes.
He said: "I think I'm missing pub meals so so much, I'm missing pubs!
"But you don't realise how big those pub meals are even for a guy the size of me and if you have a side order of garlic bread ..."
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