Why and how he lost weight

When Banks was 37 he realized that he had serious health problems. In hospital he was told he was developing cellulitis in his legs, a condition that can lead to gangrene and amputation. He was also told that he could lose his legs within a year – and his life within three or four. In fact the doctors were amazed he had managed to reach the age of 37 at all.

He was given a choice, one last opportunity to save his life: if he lost 45kg then the surgeons would perform gastric by-pass surgery. However, after the surgery Banks would have to stay on a very strict diet, no more alcohol and only one burger at a time. For most people this may be acceptable but for Banks the idea was totally unacceptable. He decided to simply diet and not have the surgery.

So Banks and a dietician worked out a daily regime of 2,200 calories which would allow him to still eat his favourite foods. The diet was an incredible success: over two and a half years he lost an average of 7.8kg a month losing a total of almost 230kg. This is understood to be the largest amount lost without the help of surgery. Even now Banks enjoys peanut butter and burgers and drinks the odd beer, he just eats a lot less.

Was it difficult for him to do? “Not at all,” he replies. “To be with Thelma, to see our nephews and nieces grow up, to continue to be the big brother to my younger brothers and sisters – all of these things are so important to me that I had the motivation to keep to the diet.”

Not long ago Banks was walking through a park when he met some of his former pupils. They were astonished to see how their teacher had changed. “In fact they were in shock,” Banks laughs. “And then they were in tears – they were so pleased to see me like this!”

Choose the words from the table to fill the gaps.

“Fat” is the most common and direct word.

1 _________ is a more neutral word: I’m a bit _________. It can also mean too

fat, especially so that you are not fit.

2 _________ is less offensive than fat: She’s a rather _________ woman.

3 _________ describes someone who is tall as well as fat.

4 _________ means slightly fat in an attractive way, often used to describe

women.

5 _________ is used mainly to describe babies and children who are fat in a

pleasant, healthy-looking way: the baby’s _________ cheeks.

6 _________ (informal) is used in a friendly way to describe people who are short

and round, especially around the stomach.

7 _________ describes flesh that is fat and loose and it can sound offensive:

exercises to firm up _________ thighs.

8 _________ is used by doctors to describe people who are so fat that they are

unhealthy. It is also used in a general way to mean ‘really fat’.

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