School of Hard Knocks

So, since mid-July, I've been watchering what I eat - which is a quasi-clever way of saying I've been doing Weight Watchers.  It has been reasonably successful, in part because their new program is quite easy to follow, and relies heavily on real food.  Lots of fruit, vegetables and lean proteins.   These are all foods I like to eat regardless of my diet.  And I'm down enough weight that we can call it successful.

Last week, though - things went a little sideways.  If I'm being honest, it has been two weeks of sideways, mostly because I have failed to plan (and therefore should have planned to fail).

It didn't help, though, that I was in Chattanooga Sunday through Thursday of last week.  I did a little shopping - so I had turkey, fruit, and vegetables, but I ate a little a lot more sugar than was necessary.  I also hit some blue cheese fondue with sweet potato chips pretty liberally at a group dinner.  What can I say?  Cheese is my weakness.  One of, anyway.  I threatened several times to grab a straw and drink the dip.  I would have, in the privacy of my hotel room.

The long and short of it is, I made quite a few bad decisions, I paid the price.

I should be able to keep it more or less together this week, but then I head into another week on the road.  My plan is to control what I can, and make the best decisions possible when I can't be in charge.

The thing about healthy eating, and losing weight in general, is that it's not something that you do once, you get to where you want to be, and then you never worry about it again.  It's like Sisyphus, forever rolling the boulder up the hill. 


We all have our own definition of boulder.

So, that's where I am. 

Recently, Bill Maher decided to (you'll forgive me) weigh in on the issue of fat-shaming.  Basically, he's for it.  He doesn't think weight should be glorified. 

I could say so many things, but James Corden says it better than I do:



As usual.

But the part that resonated with me is that he has good days and bad months.  And that it is a life-long struggle.  So even famous people with seemingly easy, perfect lives are less that perfect.

Celebrities!  They're just like us!  That said, I don't care how much my mother adores him, I'm done with Bill Maher.  Not that he cares.  I'm sure it would sicken him to have fatties watching his show that is more fractious than clever.

Anyway, onward and upward.

My friend Jim and I went to see Dear Evan Hansen on Thursday. It was great.  Even though I had heard the music before, seeing it performed was different altogether.  While I don't know anyone who killed him or herself, I do know what anxiety, depression and loneliness feel like.  I know what it's like to be stuck in a situation that is crazy and seems hopeless.    Plus, the music is gorgeous.  And funny.

This week, I'm researching motivational interviewing to prepare a presentation for a conference.  Everything about that sentence provokes a profound sense of fear.  But learning is fun, writing is fun, presenting is fun - I just need to research and think about how I want to attack it.

Last night, Piper cornered a full-grown possum in the back yard.  The possum keeled over.  I grabbed Piper and dragged her back into the house.  I was half expecting to have to dispose of a body this morning, but good news!  She merely scared the thing - she didn't kill it.  

There is hope for us all yet.

Especially the possum, today.

Peace be with you all, and keep pushing those boulders!

ae






Comments

Christopher said…
I love James Corden. I've always had mixed feelings about Maher because I think he thinks he can get away with saying cruel or thoughtless things by saying "Just kidding!" And he's smart enough to know that even if he says that people are going to take him seriously. I remember when Maher used to give out "Get Over Yourself" awards to celebrities he thought were being pretentious. He needs to give himself one of those now.
Anyway I'm glad Piper didn't kill the possum. That can cause a lot of unnecessary complications.