http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/jan/28/marathon-runner-mark-noel/

Shortly after this story was published, I was contacted by NPR to participate in a round table discussion. During the course of the 45 minutes we were on the air, we discussed my journey and whether weight loss surgery was the answer for many people. I was on with the head of UCLA's Bariatric Surgery unit and discussed the VSG and other options for people with weight issues. As soon as the podcast is available, probably tomorrow, I'll post a link to it and you can down it.

It was hard to come 'out of the closet' to tell everyone about my surgery. Even now there are comments that somehow I'm weak for having the surgery and not doing this on my own. As the doctor on the show pointed out, 97-99% of the people who try to do this on their own without surgery will fail and likely gain even more weight. Without addressing all the issues, you are setting yourself up for failure.

Enjoy my story...

Mark

(massindex)

Here is the link to the NPR Radio Show. You can use the player directly on the page to play it.

http://www.knpr.org/...&ProgramID=2699

Way to go! Great story and awesome inspiration.

Here is the link to the NPR Radio Show. You can use the player directly on the page to play it.

http://www.knpr.org/...&ProgramID=2699

I listened to the whole thing. That was very interesting. And thank you thank you thank you for what you said about learning new eating habits. Hats off to you for your success. And thanks for being an inspiration to so many of us here.

I did get a little chuckle out of that doctor. He was definitely holding back his true feelings about bariatric surgery in Mexico. But he made a great point about how safe the surgery is today....a fact that most of our friends and family don't understand when we first tell them about our intention to have surgery.

Mark awesome job my man!! Was just sleeved on jan 17 you are an inspiration i was almost as heavy as you weighing 398 at the start of my liquid diet and I'm not down to 361 12 days post op thank you for sharing the article very inspiring

Thanks for sharing your story!

What an inspiration you are to each and everyone of us. Thank you for standing in and letting everyone know what this surgery is about. About getting our lives back, to be able to live again. Congratulation on your weightloss I know you will be having alot of followers who will want to be you and in your shoes with the weightloss and stamina that you have.

Mark thanks for the inspiration. I was sleeved June 3rd and was 481 pounds. A week later I am down to 454. But reading this lets me no it is possible

Hi Mark, you look fantastic, I also have lost a ton of weight 185 pounds. I have a lot of excess skin in the belly area. Did your exercise routine help to eliminate yours? You waist looks nice and thin.

Thanks, Mark Thomas, Edmond Oklahoma

<p>Hi Mark, you look fantastic, I also have lost a ton of weight 185 pounds. I have a lot of excess skin in the belly area. Did your exercise routine help to eliminate yours? You waist looks nice and thin.</p> <p> </p> <p>Thanks, Mark Thomas, Edmond Oklahoma</p>

It helps to some degree but short of surgery, it won't go away. Compression undershirts seem to help the most and in fact are necessary when exercising. The jiggling of loose skin can damage tissue when I run so, unless I have cosmetic surgery, I'll probably always be a supporter of compression garments.

Mark thanks for the inspiration. I was sleeved June 3rd and was 481 pounds. A week later I am down to 454. But reading this lets me no it is possible

All things are possible. It's a great journey and welcome!