Why was six afraid of seven?

Because seven eight nine.  Old grade school joke.  Why was everyone afraid of the fat guy?  Because he ate everything in sight.  Today’s list:

Four chicken and cheese taquitos, Kirkland Chicken bake, 24 oz. Diet Coke, Twix PB, Double scoop Baskin Robbins Ice Cream cone, 2 chili dogs and potato chips.

All in all, a pretty light day.  My life is made up of these sorts of days.  I do well for a while, then I go hog wild and eat, well, like a hog!  Food is something that just comes to mind unbidden.  I eat therefore I am fat.  More like, I eat and eat and eat therefore I am fat.  You know, there are all sorts of diet books, weight loss, books, seminars, websites, retreats, spas, etc.  Some estimates say that between 35 and 55 billion dollars is spent annually on weight loss products and services.  And yet we are one of the most overweight and obese societies in the world.  Every fat person knows that eating is their main downfall: eating too much, eating the wrong foods, too much fat, sugar, calories, etc.  We all know that cutting back on portions and exercising is the only way to combat the battle of the bulge.  But we are also so set in our ways, so determined that we live in the way we have become accustomed that we refuse to accept the facts that are staring us in the face.  No diet will ever compensate for good eating habits.  No miracle drug is going to come along that will cure obesity.  No amount of wishing that weight loss was easy will ever make it so.

For years, I have known that simply exercising would make a dramatic effect on my weight.  And what have I done about it?  Consoled my self with a donut.  I promise myself that I will start that daily walk tomorrow, or when I get my new shoes, or when the weather gets better.  I have, for years, told my kids that the best way for them to get through the trials and temptations of youth is to decide now, before you are faced with those temptations, how you will deal with them.  And yet, I have staunchly refused to do that with my health and eating habits.  And now I’m where I am today: twice my healthy size and struggling to overcome that.

But I have one thing now that I didn’t have before.  That is a urgent desire, a burning in my bosom, if you will, to be healthy enough to dance at my kids weddings (whenever that may be).  I want to go old with my wife (who I assure you is much younger than I am ;-)).  I don’t want to miss out on the greatest of all life’s pleasures: seeing my kids grow up and have kids of their own.  I want to bounce great-grandkids on my knee.  I don’t want them to have to wonder who the fat guy in the picture was.

Today’s quote:

Large, naked raw carrots are acceptable as food only to those who lie in hutches eagerly awaiting Easter.  ~Fran Lebowitz