S11.E05: Mark's Journey

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

Mark sets out with a goal for weight loss surgery, but as weight loss gets easier, he turns down medical advice and decides to do it on his own. Now, Mark thinks he can lose 500 pounds by himself, but Dr. Now sees this as another excuse not to change.

Original air date 2023.03.01

[BAForever]

Mark made me madder than Penny, Paula and an Assanti brother or 2. What a waste of an opportunity. And your trainer should know better. Frustrating AF episode. 

[Chatty Cake]

Mark didn’t want to go to Houston and leave mommy and dad. The parents made life too easy for him. 

Edited March 2, 2023 by Chatty Cake

[geej]

I think you mean Texas and I agree. Otherwise I simply can not figure out his reasoning.

[Chatty Cake]

1 hour ago, geej said:

I think you mean Texas and I agree. Otherwise I simply can not figure out his reasoning.

Yes, Texas.

He couldn’t comprehend that a year away would go quickly in the scheme of things. Plus it would have done him good to get away from his mom. She meant well but she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him and give in.

[Pi237]

Im always astounded that these families can afford feeding their 600 pounders these enormous meals all day, every day. His breakfast alone had to cost $50 at least. And you know they're not only eating three times a day. Plus, fast food isn't cheap anymore. I don't get it. 

[Cementhead]

I was only partially watching but I heard Mom say something along the lines of "How do you punish a 43 year old?  You can't take their car away from them or ground them."  Um, he's a 43 year old grown man still living at home.  I suppose telling him to leave would be considered punishment...  I can see why Mark would want to stay though.  Nice, caring family in a beautiful home having evening bbqs together in the backyard poolside.  Sweet!  From the bits I watched Mark seemed like a nice enough guy who had his shit together, and by had his shit together, I mean he had on an actual proper pants and/or shorts.  And looked clean and neat.  And was polite.  And had a job! 

[libgirl2]

I didn't watch it but I read somewhere he was chatting  up teenage girls online? Is this true? 

[cpcathy]

What a strange family dynamic! His mommy over-kommying him, Dad lecturing him, Mark’s nickname for his sister was “stupid?”

I couldn’t stand Mark, what a baby. Get the surgery and then recover, what’s the big deal?

Edited March 2, 2023 by cpcathy

[steff13]

I hope that Dr. Paradise followed up on Mark's relationship with a 16-year-old-girl.  

[Pi237]

I saw in the chat alot of people thought his dad was mean, but I just saw a father who has Had it. His son is 42! And refuses to grow up, refuses to get the help he needs to be an independent,grown man, talks nonstop about what he wants to do, but never actually Does anything. Mark's not some teenager.  I don't blame him for being hostile at this point. He called his Dad a dick, I think? Just because his dad told him he had to move out. That's his only move left to force this manchild to grow up.

[steff13]

His dad might be fed up.  Or he may have been like that his whole life.  He was very critical.  

[CrazyInAlabama]

Mark wasn't really polite.  His nickname for his sister is 'stupid'.    He has been dependent on his parents for 42 years, and has no intention of supporting himself.   One of his online 'friends' is a 16 year old girl. 

 His mother is his personal chef, for massive amounts of food.   And both parents are apparently paying all of the bills for that lovely Orlando house with a pool, and guest quarters, occupied by Mark.   

Since at the end of the episode he still claimed to be doing well, even though he stopped losing, and from plate full at the family BBQ, will soon be gaining a lot.   Unless the parents legally evict him, and I'm guessing they won't, he'll be living in the pool house forever.     I can't believe there isn't a bariatric program in Orlando that Mark could have gone to, instead of Dr. Now.   Or is Mark another person who was booted out of other programs before?   I guess we'll never know about that.     

Edited March 3, 2023 by CrazyInAlabama

[geej]

It was startling to hear Mark admit to chatting up such a young girl online to his trainer. !!!!!!And don't get me started on his trainer, who was feeding him bs. His trainer was doing him wrong on so many levels. maybe at 1st it was ok to support Mark's "doing it on his own", but he had to know if he is worthy of his job, and that what the doctors are telling Mark was directly opposite his way to support Mark. I really don't get why Mark did nOT want to temporarily  move to Houston since his job can follow him. But that I think alone was his real reason for not getting surgery. I think he fears being without his parents.(not the bs "got to do it on my own". Too many people think surgery is some magic, easy way to loose weight. As one who has watched several close folk work to loose and keep it off, I can say it is NOT easy. I HATED Mark calling him sister "stupid". Just cuz his Mommy kept him in clean nice wear does not say anything good about HIM to me. I agree with the poster who said he angered her as much as any of the ones we found awful.

[Chatty Cake]

What condition did the 16 year old have? He was using her as an excuse for him not to have surgery. I gathered it was an online support group but I was surprised that he would chat with her.

Sorry Mark, if you are living off of your parents than you have to listen to the criticism. He got so mad at his mom asking him about skin surgery.

[Kenzie]

On 2/26/2023 at 11:37 PM, PrincessPurrsALot said:

Now, Mark thinks he can lose 500 pounds by himself,

He's dreaming of course and assumes by exercising he can eat whatever he wants. He's been at 575 for months which means he's taking in about 4,700 calories a day on his "I'll do it myself" diet.

His dad is a jerk. No matter how frustrated a parent is they should never call their child stupid.

[Cementhead]

Me again. So, having only partially watched, I missed the scenes with the trainer, the 16 yr. old and Dr. Paradise.  I just saw a seemingly nice guy (for this show) who had a job and wore pants so I was easily impressed.  That'll teach me to post when I only half-ass watched between hockey game commercials.  My bad!

 

[Elizzikra]

34 minutes ago, Chatty Cake said:

What condition did the 16 year old have? He was using her as an excuse for him not to have surgery. I gathered it was an online support group but I was surprised that he would chat with her.

Sorry Mark, if you are living off of your parents than you have to listen to the criticism. He got so mad at his mom asking him about skin surgery.

I had to look it up - CRPS - Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome.

I hope her parents are aware of who she’s talking to online. That completely creeped me out!!! 
 

That whole family dynamic was just… off. Everyone went to Mark’s weigh ins? Why? And the obvious enabling by he parents was just a mess.

[Chatty Cake]

1 hour ago, Cementhead said:

Me again. So, having only partially watched, I missed the scenes with the trainer, the 16 yr. old and Dr. Paradise.  I just saw a seemingly nice guy (for this show) who had a job and wore pants so I was easily impressed.  That'll teach me to post when I only half-ass watched between hockey game commercials.  My bad!

 

It did start off promising. The nice house, the fact that he lost his job during the pandemic and had to move in with his parents, the pants and that he did so good at his first weigh in. Even when he initially asked if he could keep going on his own, I thought maybe he was just excited for his progress and figured he would change his mind. As the show went on things got worse.

[cpcathy]

5 hours ago, Elizzikra said:
 

That whole family dynamic was just… off. Everyone went to Mark’s weigh ins? Why? And the obvious enabling by he parents was just a mess.

And he was complaining that his sister couldn’t come to a weigh in….from SEATTLE?

[Tango64]

That dude was deceptive. At first I thought what a loser and moocher, then I thought oh he’s finding his inner strength and taking control, then he’s back to loser and moocher. What a ride. Congrats. 

[Pi237]

Lmao at how impressed we all are that he wore pants 🤣

[Pepper Mostly]

The bar is low.

[cynicat]

2 hours ago, Pi237 said:

Lmao at how impressed we all are that he wore pants 🤣

Fair enough. By the way, did he have more than 1 outfit?

[Scarlett45]

15 hours ago, cpcathy said:

And he was complaining that his sister couldn’t come to a weigh in….from SEATTLE?

The sister was probably working. Her husband may have had a more flexible schedule and thus was able to help out. I don’t recall if he mentioned nieces/nephews- the fact that her husband went was a sign that she was supportive, but she had responsibilities of her own most likely. 

[cpcathy]

Yes, I understand that, but Mark made a big deal that she couldn’t go!to one of many weigh ins.

[lilysmom]

4 hours ago, Pi237 said:

Lmao at how impressed we all are that he wore pants 🤣

LOL!! But we should probably add, pants that were supplied by, washed, and ironed by his mom. She seems to definitely be the enabler in this situation. I think Dad wants him out, but he knows Mom will never let that happen.

[Elizzikra]

6 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

The sister was probably working. Her husband may have had a more flexible schedule and thus was able to help out. I don’t recall if he mentioned nieces/nephews- the fact that her husband went was a sign that she was supportive, but she had responsibilities of her own most likely. 

There were some kids at one of the poolside cookout - I think they were nieces?? 

[ams1001]

5 hours ago, Elizzikra said:

There were some kids at one of the poolside cookout - I think they were nieces?? 

He had at least one niece; I'm guessing she was in her early teens.

Edited March 4, 2023 by ams1001

[IvySpice]

Every time Mark said "I want to do it my way," I was longing for someone to say "How's that working for ya?"

[MsVixen]

The show didn't say a lot about his dieting/weight loss history which made me think that he'd never really made an effort to lose weight in the past.  That he lost over 150 pounds and essentially maintained that loss for 6 months would be deemed a success in other circumstances.
I think he wanted to prove to himself that he could do it without surgical intervention.  I've read of some doctors saying that people should stop losing weight, maintain that loss, and then start the weight loss process again.  That doing it like this would prevent the metabolism from slowing down as much so that a person would have less plateauing. 

[IvySpice]

15 hours ago, MsVixen said:

I think he wanted to prove to himself that he could do it without surgical intervention. 

Clearly, but it's an adolescent way of thinking to prioritize that proof above saving his own life. This was about as rational a choice as someone insisting on expelling a colon tumor on his own without surgical intervention. People don't lose 500 pounds and keep it off, ever.

[MsVixen]

6 hours ago, IvySpice said:

Clearly, but it's an adolescent way of thinking to prioritize that proof above saving his own life. This was about as rational a choice as someone insisting on expelling a colon tumor on his own without surgical intervention. People don't lose 500 pounds and keep it off, ever.

There have been a few examples of morbidly obese patients losing weight on their own.  On the show, "The Doctors", there were 2 men who had lost an incredible amount of weight on their own and the Doctors were gifting them with Skin Removal surgery.  One man had been 800 pounds and the other was 400+ pounds.

If you remember the show "600 Pound Virgin", the patient lost 350 pounds with the help of the trainer.  Not the best example as he gained it all back because he couldn't handle the notoriety that came with the loss.

Sometimes on that skin surgery show on TLC, they have patients 400+ who have lost without bariatric surgery.

I agree that most people who have gotten to that point will probably not lose unless they have surgery, but Mark probably won't agree to it until he proves to himself that he can't do it on his own.

[IvySpice]

Losing it =/= keeping it off. Maybe somebody somewhere has cured their cancer with willpower, but that wouldn't change what a horse's ass Mark is, or how much I hope that Dr. Now puts his resources elsewhere. Enabler mom deserves what she gets, too.

[Scratches19]

As often is the case, the real work needed in the program is psychological. He’s still a little boy in a 578 lbs (and holding) body. His mommy dotes on him. His dad tries various ineffective ways to get tough or support, but clearly there’s some unexplained dynamics. Until he confronts this he’ll stay large and get the enabling he needs. 
 

That trainer is every sales commission based gym trainer in a nutshell. “You can do it yourself, just sign up for more sessions with me.” How did the trainer’s recommended work out? Well, he lost 94 lbs and then 50 more with the Dr Now diet (even with mom slipping cheese into his eggs). Then he did nothing at all on the trainer Diet. But the trainer has him convinced it was working. Certainly the exercise was good for him. But he stores losing weight through (likely) a combination of the trainer diet and his own cheats. Like so many before him… He was reality impaired. 

I’d like to see him get 12 sessions with Dr Paradise and no family chiming in. He isn’t a fully formed independent adult yet. . Mom should get sessions too so she can learn how to not enable him. And Dad, so he can learn how to handle him (and deal with any unfinished business between them). He was afraid to leave that comfy extended childhood with mom and dad and go to Houston. It wasn’t just the surgery. 

That final BBQ plate was telling, as was Mom asking him if he wanted some dessert. He’s going to have a struggle in that environment and until he takes full charge of his eating and his life. 

Ughh. 
 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Scratches19

[cynicat]

9 hours ago, MsVixen said:

I agree that most people who have gotten to that point will probably not lose unless they have surgery, but Mark probably won't agree to it until he proves to himself that he can't do it on his own.

I wonder what it will take for him to decide he proved it?  The situation (dis sissassion) unfolded exactly as Dr. Now predicted.  He's an expert having dedicated his whole life to this,  and it's far from his first rodeo. Dr. Now also said to Mark that some people can lose on their own, but not once they reach a certain point.  I think he said ~600lbs. 

There's way more to this than just willpower, and he needs a faster solution.  Even if he tries to lose on his own it will take years before he's at a point where his heart/lungs are no longer in the danger zone.  I doubt he has that much time.  

[Shauna]

I missed the part about the 16 year old.

Did anyone find their kitchen set up odd?  I think it could have been a second kitchen, maybe?  It seemed oddly small with a folding table, and a cement floor.  Also, they never filmed in any other part of the house except Mark's living space and the kitchen.  Probably didn't want the world seeing their home. I don't blame them.  I bet the kitchen was made for the pool area. 

[JunkFoodTV]

I would love it if the 16 year old was catfishing him. Creepy Mark the man baby.

[Teri313]

I liked that he stood up and shook Dr. Now's hand at his first appt. I think that was a first on this show.

[newyawk]

I just watched this episode. I think a lot of assumptions are being made here about the 16 year old he referenced. There is the real possibility that this kid he was talking about is simply part of an online community he participates in, she posted about her situation, and it struck him in some way. There was nothing to indicate he had romantic or sexual interest in her. He only talked about her situation in saying that "if she can deal with her situation, I can handle mine".

I liked that Mark was driven to do this himself, he certainly did a bang up job for what he did do on his own, but he does need to be open to surgical help. I looked at his Instagram page and it doesn't look like he's lost much more weight since the episode.