When all else fails, eat Soup (echh)

 

While I’m waiting for my brain to come up with something interesting & original for the new Teepee, I’ll just share this.  Last Sunday my sister Shawn (and her husband Jim & my niece Sophie here) came to visit.  It was Sophie's sixth birthday on Tuesday, so we were celebrating a little early. 

After we walked up the street for pizza and returned to my apartment, I leaned against my dining table to rub my sore leg and lamented to my niece I was an old man.  Sophia (who was sitting on the floor, playing with her birthday gift) looked up and said "Uncle Doug, you're not old."  I said "Aw, thanks honey!  But I sure am getting big, y’know…"  Sophie went back to playing and matter-of-factly said "Then stop eating so much junk food."

 

Sophie on the floor in her soccer uniform, with her gift from Uncle Doug

 

What!  Well, I don't know why that took me by surprise--she's such a tenderhearted little girl, but she's not old enough yet to understand the subtleties of patronizing someone who WANTS to be patronized.  She’s all about the truth, God bless her.  And because of her, I need to find my motivation to stop lugging around all of these extra pounds.  I’m making it my life’s mission to hear “Uncle Doug you’re not fat” come out of this kid’s mouth! 

Don’t get me wrong, I want to lose the weight regardless of Sophie’s approval—but I’m constantly fooling myself into thinking I’m not that fat.  Why do I keep doing that?   I can go for weeks at a time thinking things aren’t that bad, but it takes just one photo to jar me back to reality.

Who is this gorgeous little girl hugging?  Someone who needs to eat more dreaded things like soup

This pic surprised me, and not in a good way--when Shawn asked if she could post it on Facebook I nearly had a stroke.  (So why is it here?  Because this isn’t Facebook.)

I currently weigh 200 plus plus lbs., this is the heaviest I’ve been since mom passed in 2004.  I haven’t weighed under 200 pounds since my sister’s wedding in 2000, so I’m not even sure I remember what it’s like to be that thin.   I know what I have to do, though, as this isn’t the first time in my life I’ve tried to lose 25-30 pounds.  I did it once before in the mid-90s, and after trying diet pills, ‘sweat belts’, self hypnosis, sprinkling tobasco sauce on everything & even prayer, I finally discovered the secret:

• Sweaty exercise (3-4 nights a week)
• Treat red meat like Beluga caviar 

• No potato chips, ice cream or white bread—ever.  And eat soup until it’s coming outta my ears.  (I’d rather it go in that way as well!)

Sophie, I hope you had a nice birthday & thanks for the hugs & good advice.  I’m going to try & do just as you said, your job is done!