Rant #1,597: Taking a Pounding

Most Americans are overweight.

I certainly am.

I love my cookies, I can tell you that.

I also love to eat what I want when I want, even if I am doing it right before I go to sleep.

Not very good habits, but that is what I like to do.

Several weeks ago, I received the results of my physical from my doctor, and even with the excess poundage, I had one of the best sets of results I have ever had as an adult.

All of the statistics on me had improved from the past year, and many of them were way down, including my cholesterol count. Everything was good.

Except for one thing.

My weight wasn't very good. For someone who is 5 feet, 9 inches or so, I weighed too much.

I am not a heavy eater, my wife actually helps me watch what I eat by what she prepares for dinner each evening, I have lots of fruits and vegetables and salads, but those cookies, they are the bane of my existence.

So right then and there, I decided to take off some of the excess weight I had, and since then, I have been watching myself a bit more.

No more cookies, no more eating between meals, no more of the things I love to do related to eating.

I do still drink Coca-Cola. That is the one thing I haven't been able to give up, although several years ago, I didn't drink soda for more than four years after my gall bladder surgery, so I know I can do it.

Just right now, I still drink it, and I am not giving it up.

So, with this cockeyed diet I am on, I do feel that my clothes are fitting better, and are not so tight on me.

I must have lost between five and 10 pounds, probably mainly water weight, but I did lose it since I gave up the stuff I just mentioned.

Yes, I still could lose a bit more, but right now, I am satisfied with what I have lost.

It hasn't been that difficult to do it. I just gave these things up cold turkey, and it has worked without too much difficulty.

I started this during the holidays, because I figured that if I could do it then, I could do it at any time through the year.

Sure, I miss my cookies and eating what I like when I like, but at age 58, I need to slow down a bit.

There will come a time when I go off my diet--probably at my parents' anniversary party on March 5, if it is ever actually held (darn the weather), but I will go right back to ignoring this stuff right after those occasions.

My major problem is that I sit all day at my job, so that adds on to the poundage, too.

But at least there, there is no temptation to eat anything other than my lunch, and I have turned down cake during some birthday and holiday celebrations there.

So let's see where this quasi-diet takes me, because other than the weight, I really do feel pretty good.