The Disappearing Me...
10/17/2008
Back in mid-December of last year I talked myself, with some pressure from The Nancy, into getting my fat ass up on the bathroom scale. I had managed to avoid knowing what I weighed for nearly a year – ignorance is bliss. The scale, poor thing, almost immediately began to scream “Get off me!!!” The little wheel went round-and-round looking for a spot to stop, and finally got to that point in the mid-200rds, at the two forty-three mark to be exact. Talk about a wakeup call. It was the slap heard ‘round the world.
At this same time my lovely wife was having conversations with herself most mornings as she dressed for work. She didn’t bother asking me if an outfit made her “look fat.” She knew it did and her grunts and groans were a good signal her weight had become an issue for her, and I didn’t need to add to her angst. I do know when to keep my mouth shut and save my marriage, even quite possibly my life.
As for me, I was in to 40” waist pants and shirts with seventeen and one-half inch neck, and casual shirts of the XXL variety. The big pants were starting to even get a little tight around my keg-sized waist, and I knew something had to be done.
A good friend sent us information on a website and a program called “Diet for Dummies” and “Fat Loss for Idiots.” The Nancy investigated it, got all the information and put together a diet for us – one that excluded beer. We were going to go to extremes to get into shape and loss some weight. I would call a diet that excludes my favorite beverage as an ultra “extreme” program, but got into all the same, and I am so glad I did. It worked. I got on the scale this morning, as Friday is now our “weigh in” day, and the little sucker smiled at me and called out in a very melodic voice…204. A weight I might add I have not seen in fifteen years. As a side note, The Nancy now a good looking, kind of sexy 130, and I am proud of her perseverance, and also proud of her for “allowing” me, not pressuring me (much), to do this with her.
The good and bad of this is, one, I am now into some 36” waist stuff and 16” shirts – and, damn, if I don’t look good! We both eat better – abstemiously and healthily, and are exercising everyday. The bad part is, I have now spent about $300 having slacks and jackets altered to fit my new body, I have fourteen dress shirts in my closet that I cannot wear, and The Nancy now wants to go shopping, since there isn’t anything in her closet she can wear. Weight loss can be expensive, but I would rather put my money into new clothing than in doctor’s bills.
And that is all I have to say about that…