“Everyone wants to save the world; but no one wants to help mom with the dishes.” - My Lyft driver, after I explained how the supply chain challenges in the world of tires might require me buying 4 new tires despite having just done so 6 months ago because of one pesky nail. F@&k you, COVID!!!
But I refuse to be put in a negative mood today. I am going to be incredibly positive and happy and full of joy and laughter! Speaking of, let’s do an exercise. I want to invite everyone to strip down to their underwear and take a good, long, hard look at themselves in the mirror. How you doing??? Be honest. Has your body changed since February of 2020? For me it has. And for 43% of Americans who put on 27 lbs during COVID, it has, too. It’s ok. There is no shame in being honest, only in not doing something about it.
I get it. More than at any time in our lives, a lot of things were out of our control. Perhaps it was that your gym was closed and you never went back. Perhaps it was because your work closed and you had your routine of working out at lunch upset. Perhaps it was your kids who were no longer engaged in sports and friends and they relied on you to be their play thing. Or, perhaps it was because you, like me, found alcohol was the only way to lower your frustration and drank A LOT. I easily estimate I was drinking 1000-1500 calories A DAY. At 3500 calories per pound of fat, 14 days to flatten the curve at day 670, I quite literally drank my entire body weight worth of calories. Ouch!
But, we are having a positive day and being the change we can be in the world. I’m a big believer in personal responsibility and data. 78% of the hospitalizations due “to COVID” included obesity as a major comorbidity. To me, this has always been a pandemic of obesity. The death rate in America was substantially higher than places like India, despite significant poverty and in theory, less access to medicine. It’s not a stretch to say it’s because by and large, we are a country of fat people. That’s not fat shaming, that’s looking at the people I can see in this coffee shop (not Starbucks), myself included.
Today is January 19th. I have been slogging through sober January (with one cheat day). I have worked out 3-4 times a week, primarily squash. I have skipped the bowl of M&Ms 18 of the 19 days. And THIS is what that looks like.
Yes. It’s hard to stay disciplined. Yes, I love wine and IPAs. Yes, working out is hard. Yes, Eggs Benedict is super yummy for breakfast. But you have 12 days to the end of the month, why don’t you join me? It may just extend your life.
Chapter 1. Losing Weight.
Eat (drink) less. Exercise more. Yes. It is that easy.
Congrats, man, good job dropping that weight! Well done.
I’m in. On treadmill as I type. Need to drop another 20 or my dr banishes me to the island of perpetual tickling.