FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD!

The holidays are a rough time of the year for people like me.  I am a food-a-holic.  Food addicts have to watch people consume vast quantities of vittles  -- and act like it does not bother us.

I was overweight for much of my lifetime.  My parents did everything they could to help me eat healthy, but I would “sneak” junk food all the time.  I was on diet pills as a child, went to “fat camp” in the summer, belonged to a gym etc.  My being fat was because I chose to put sweets and fried food in my mouth -- my parents were innocent!

I joined the bowling team in high school so I could be at the alley and eat fries and drink Coke.  I attended football and basketball sporting events at school—not because I wanted to be a spectator—but just because they sold candy at the games.

Most of my life has been one of fat and not so fat—never really thin -- except in 1982 for about six months.

In 2007, my doctor told me that if I did not start losing weight, I would likely get diabetes. That piece of news really scared me straight.  He told me that if I gave up one thing every day, I would lose 10 pounds in 4 months.  He wanted to see me in four months and was going to weigh me.  I hate the weigh in.

I left his office and decided to give up bread and cheese because I was emotionally and physically addicted to both of them.  When I was at a restaurant, I would eat through two baskets of rolls slathered with cheese even before I ate my meal.  Bread was also an excuse just to put half a jar of mayonnaise between two slices of any kind of bread.

By giving up bread and cheese, I lost 60 pounds that year and have kept most of it off almost five years later.  I still have more weight that I want to lose, but I look okay from the outside.  You would not want to see me naked, though!

Some people wrongly use food as a celebration ritual or a treat.  “It is your birthday, have some cake.”  “You did well on that report, have an extra dessert.”  “It is Thanksgiving; stuff yourself until you want to vomit.”

Even when I ate anything and everything, I would never eat to the point of being over-satiated.  I do not enjoy the feeling of an overloaded stomach.  So whether fat, not so fat, or thin, I wish someone could explain to me what is fun about overeating at Thanksgiving?  The only being stuffed at the table should be the turkey, not the guests!  So be careful out there on Thursday!  Use moderation, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.