In Stride

My endocrinologist cracks me up in ways that an 80 year old Dr. with a heavy Greek accent only could. He asks me the same questions every six months. Some of them are relevant to my condition, such as asking if the temperature in the room is ok, do I ever feel tired, etc. Some of them clearly aren't. I get the feeling that he asks me how my bowel movements are just because he wants to know the answer. My favorite thing about him is that he obviously got his M.D. sometime in the early 60s, if not sooner, from the University of Athens, or some similar Greek University.

In all my prior visits I have gotten minor lectures on my weight, including when I was only about 20 pounds heavier then he wanted me to be.

Today - I was much heavier. MUCH. I was dreading the lecture all day. I got some hilarious advice - as in, I clearly need to be eating barley for breakfast. Also, whole oats that take longer to cook because they don't have sugar. As I have said, I love this man.

But the best part of the whole appointment was when he looked at my chart. Flipped back a page. Looked again... flipped back. Then he looked me square in the eyes and he said...'You've gained a lot of weight." I said, "Oh, I know, I know..." and I was ready with some of my best excuses (I'm a pro) when he just quickly said... "Well, I think you need to lose (pause) 80 pounds. Not right away, but let's say in the next two years." And then he changed the subject.

Eighty pounds (EIGHT - ZERO) is a very large number in terms of weight loss and/or weight gain. He said it as if he was recommending that I try to walk 15 minutes a day, 3 times a week. Hey, no big shit. Lose some weight, fattie. I was dying of laughter inside.

90% of the population (and 100% of all females) would have been so offended that they never would see this particular Dr. again. All I could think as I was leaving was just how correct he was. That sounds like a lot of weight but it would put me where I want to be.

This interaction, as with anything in life, only serves to reinforce that you need to take things in stride. You need to know who you are and what you need to be so that things like this don't offend you today. Or ever for that matter. I knew he was right.

In my version of a perfect world, I would be sharply dressed, good looking, and well traveled. Being fat directly contributes to me not meeting two of my main goals. Why do I not do something about this? Why do I not work every single day to make sure I end up where I want to be.

I'm about to.