My Choice? Lose Weight!

“To lose confidence in one’s body

is to lose confidence in oneself.”

-- Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), philosopher, writer, activist 

I am approaching 65 years of age.  Other than aches and pains brought on by my misspent youth, I feel twenty years younger, almost.  When I went to Mexico for a couple of years, I weighed an amazing 209 pounds at 5' 9".  When I returned, I had trimmed down to 165, despite my diet of tacos, beer, and tequila; I felt great!  I got on the scale at my doctor's office, last month, and watched the nurse slide the weights to 198.  I swallowed my "chubby" pride and asked the question to which I already knew the answer, "And, how much do you allow for clothes?"  Not nearly enough, it would seem.

Now, for me, losing weight has never been a big issue.  Throughout my military career all I had to do was curtail salt and alcohol intake and I'd lose 10-15 pounds in a week.  After the initial water weight loss is when the work came in, so I always kept my eye on my weight as I hate working out.  Well, it seems I haven't lost this ability to shed some quick water weight.  In about 10 days I've gone from 194 to, a somewhat slimmer, 180 pounds.  I always bemoaned losing the next 10 pounds as it usually gave meaning to the adage, "Revenge is best served cold."  Salads, granola, and smoothies - rabbit food and liquid energy, unless you have the money to pay for all the mail-order diet program food.  My fear is paying for stuff that looks like real food, but which my Sicilian palate would surely discern as crap.

“I try not to think on my feet because they have enough problem with my weight.”

-- Anthony T. Hincks, children's author

New theories on diet have found some interesting realities, an important one being that you can actually eat real food.

Okay, so one of the new realities is the same as the old, real food costs more - but, just a bit.  Bananas and frozen fruit for the smoothies, but eggs are okay with the occasional meat side.  Whole wheat pasta sucks, so I'm back to occasional semolina pasta in moderation.  Discovering how much you can do with cooking whole grain has been an eye-opener.  Chicken is in, as well as lean beef, again in moderation.  Pork is out, and this is like killing my best friend.  Salt is out, but garlic and onions are definitely in as well as copious amounts of cooked vegetables.  Two medium goblets of red wine per night replace the two or three bourbons or martinis.  Needless to say, I immediately, upon learning this, hit the Walmart in Slidell and bought a case of vino.  Again, being Sicilian, this too was no big deal.

"Mind over matter, will make the Pooh unfatter"

-- Winnie-the Pooh

So, all in all, a Sicilian can make this work with a bit of experimentation in the kitchen and a lot of willpower.  The willpower, in my case, comes in not going back for seconds and moderating the firsts.  But, why am I putting myself through this?

I'm not doing this because of rude comments, and my mom doesn't count which I'll explain in a bit.  What people say has little bearing on who I am.  It is about my heath and how I personally feel, physically.  My motorcycle accident in high school left my knees wanting, and I feel all of that as I get heavier.  And then, there is lying in bed, reviewing the day's activities and realizing you've interlaced your fingers atop a hill that prevents you from seeing your feet.  And, not to be indelicate, if you look down and think your manhood is experiencing shrinkage, calm down, it might be just the half of it.

“Sleep with the weight of the world on your shoulders, and you will surely suffocate.”

-- Anthony T. Hincks, children's author

If you've ever rolled over in bed and had your belly come under control of gravity, you might understand all this.  If your ass weighs more, the entire exercise is over in a heartbeat as the weight finds equilibrium when it comes to rest on your side.  If the belly weighs more, however, gravity will force continuation of the roll until your ass leaves the bed for the seemingly endless drop to oblivion, which takes about two seconds, two feet, and ends in carpet, thank God, and not wood flooring.

I find my mind and my weight are in a constant wrestling match, the lean military sergeant against the fat guy who thinks he's all that.  I can push and pull all day and the fat belly is still there.  Why?  Well, I've become comfortable in my skin.  That is, until I hit the floor, my pants get tight, and my "large" shirts start straining at the buttons.  Truth is, I look good coming and going, but not so much in profile.  And, about those rude comments, well, though she has my best interests at heart, my mom constantly says I look more like her brother, like every day.  Sam was a good man, a big man, God bless him, but I am not him.  It isn't about degrading comments, it's about treating yourself to the best gift you can give you - more and better life! 

“I'm 190 pounds of rock hard muscle, underneath 40 pounds of sturdy protective fat.”

-- John Swartzwelder, comedy writer (The Simpsons), novelist

So, I have decided, at 65, to add some years to my life and live it with a bit more healthy comfort and activity.  Yeah, but many of you would say that as you get older you deserve to let yourself go to hell in a handbasket.  What does that even mean?  The only way you go to hell in a handbasket is if you're ground meat, or jerky, and even then it's a mighty big freakin basket, even for jerks.  But, I don't see my grandkids that often so I have to gain more time to do so by milking as much distance out of this lifespan as I can.  It isn't that it's going to require a lot of work on my part; it just requires a lot of will power, a trait of which I have more than my fair share.

Toni Sorenson, a writer of books on Christian life, wrote, "The weight you lift is not nearly as heavy as the weight you carry." Now, even taken out of the Christian context of guilt, this is true in most instances.  Without lifting a finger I have been known to carry around 40 pounds of extra weight that I really don't have to, guilt for putting it on notwithstanding.  Being that heavy and lifting that much weight are the things heart attacks are made of, and I have made myself lightheaded on more than one occasion, of late.

I put it to those of you carrying around this physical yoke of addition weight, let's forget about what other's think or say behind your back.  If you're like me, their opinion means little because we're comfortable with whom we are.  Or, are we?  My knees hurt.  My back hurts.  My fingers hurt in the joints.  I get occasional massive muscle cramps, especially at night.  I've abused my body most of my life, and payback is everything they say it is.  This isn't about anyone else's opinion; this is about treating me treating me right for once.  It is about feeling better and, maybe even, living longer.  If you aren't suffering from some medical malady causing weight gain, then your health is your choice.  No one can make you treat yourself with some respect, only you can make the decision to do so; choices and consequences.  What do you say?  Are you with me?  

This morning I got on the scale at an even 180, down from 194.  It's been about two weeks.  I'll let you know when I reach my target of 170.  The first 14 pounds were easy.  If experience is any indicator, the next 10 are going to be the worst.  My treat upon hitting the target, however, will be a casino crab buffet.

Buon appetito!

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with a world renowned Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.