I have been here on this big blue marble for nearly 53 years now and I can’t remember a time when I didn’t struggle with my weight. I have tried every fad diet that has come around, from the mysterious “chemical diet” in the ’80’s to Paleo, Atkins and Keto. Every single one of them worked for me to some degree, but were not sustainable for the long-haul. I joke that I have probably lost over 1,000 pounds over the years, but I have gained 1,100 back! 10 or so years ago, I even resorted to having bariatric surgery, but over the years, I still gained back all the weight.
So, what makes this time different? This time I’m not just doing it for myself. Let me step back a couple steps. . . I was spending the week at my parents’ house a couple weeks ago and my wife texted to ask if I wanted to go to my daughter’s Family Weekend at Union College. We would fly out from St. Louis to Albany, New York to see her in late September. Normally, we fly using our American Airlines miles and I upgrade to First Class (using more miles), but we don’t have enough miles at the moment and American is double the price of one of the budget airlines, so no upgrades.
I had to say no. Why, you may ask? Am I really that much of a snob? No. The simple reality is that I no longer fit in a standard coach airline seat. I have let myself get so heavy, the belt will not go around me. So, I have to disappoint my daughter by not attending Family Weekend for the simple reason of being too damn fat!
All of these years I have been able to argue (with myself) that being very overweight (obese, actually) is only hurting me. If I am shortening my own life expectancy, at least I am the only one suffering. (Obviously, being a husband and a father, my logical brain knows better, but logic doesn’t really play a role here.) Well, now that is no longer the case. There is a concrete example of my obesity affecting someone else. My lovely daughter will not have her father at Family Weekend this year. My wife will be there for her, so she won’t be alone, but I will not be able to be there to see her world and be there for her. I have always said my family is the most important thing in the world to me, and I cannot do this one tiny thing for my daughter – be by her side. Holy crap!
I vowed to my daughter that day that I would be at the 2024 Family Weekend. I would work hard at getting healthier and losing weight so I could be at her side when I’m 54, and I will sit in Coach to get there, dammit!
Monday, August 21, 2023, I began the new journey at the humiliating weight of 385.0 pounds as shown in the attached picture. It’s my chance to make some real, lifelong changes and maybe even live to see grandkids many years from now. Do it “right” this time. I know there is no right or wrong way to lose weight, but there are plenty of sensible, logical steps I can take to make it a lifelong change. I will have to change bad habits, make new habits, etc., etc. This time it isn’t for show. It’s for life!
I’ve started to make some of the changes. As of yesterday morning (August 29), I have already dropped 15 pounds, down to 369.4. Yes, I know that’s unrealistic and a lot of it is water weight, blah, blah, blah. I don’t care. I don’t care what the real numbers are or aren’t. This time I have one goal – be healthier. As long as the numbers continue to improve and I continue to feel better, that’s all that matters. I WILL be standing next to my baby girl at Family Weekend in 12 months. I hope to be doing it as a healthier, happier version of myself. I truly don’t care if I am ever what anyone else views as thin or handsome or anything else. As long as I can stand next to my family and be proud of who I am, that’s all that matters to me.
