Wake Up Call
In April, my doctor told me my cholesterol was 240 (HDL was 47, LDL was 174, Triglyceride was 97). With my weight over 200 on my 5'7" frame and the
fact that I'm an African American, I was on the path for diabetes. I've read about the effects diabetes has on an individual.
I do not want diabetes.
I was scared. Many times before, the doctor had warned me about my weight and my cholesterol levels, but what the heck. I've lived over 50 years with
these problems. Why should I do something about it now? Sure, I had trouble sometimes walking up the six stairs from the living room to the bedroom,
but doesn't everyone? And that last little bit of ice cream in the gallon jug will only go to waste if I don't eat it before I go to bed. Who knows if
it would still be good tomorrow? And those leftovers - potatoes, pastas, BBQ, cookies, cakes, muffins, rice - I can't afford to waste food like that.
But the doctor used the dreaded "D" word and this time I heard him. I had to make some changes. I had to lose at least 50 pounds and get my cholesterol
level down to 200 which, hopefully, would fix my HDL, LDL and Triglyceride levels. That was it. That's all I needed to do.
Really!?!
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Saturday, June 20
Today is the family reunion. No worries though. I am down 12 pounds. This should be a breeze. Picnics are known for grilled meats - hot dogs,
hamburgers, ribs, chicken. I just need to stay away from the potato salad, baked beans, macaroni and cheese and tuna salad, beer, wine. Okay, this may
be harder than I thought. Hopefully, they will have some sort of vegetables and not just starches like pastas and potatoes. I can wish for broccoli but
it will probably be string beans. That'll work.
8:37 pm
I pigged out! What did I eat? What I was NOT supposed to eat. You can't have outdoor grilled hot dogs and hamburger without baked beans and corn on the
cob - right? Well, I couldn't. And I did not resist the potato salad or beer or ribs slathered in BBQ sauce. It was yummy going down and I vowed not to
be guilty. I was of course. But that didn't stop me from eating all those carbs.
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Tuesday, March 16
It finally happened. I had to buy new underwear. Oh, stop it! I've bought underwear before, but this is different.
I have been sewing in my clothes as the inches diminished. But sewing in my underwear? I think that's a little too much. I have lost and gained weight
many times and never had a problem with my underwear before. I've worn the same size for years so that when they get loose from the yo-yo dieting, I
just go get more of the same blimp size. But the thigh and waist areas have been stretch so much that, with all the inches lost and being 38 pounds
lighter, my underwear are balloons. I've been so focused on the outer garments - pants, tops, belts - that I didn't notice how loose my underpants
were. It's one thing sewing in the pants so they don't look so odd on my shrinking body. It's another thing to sew in underwear. I can't do it. It
seems too wrong. For the first time in years - maybe even decades - I have to go out and buy new, smaller underwear.
And I have no idea what size to get.
Maybe I'll color coordinate it with my outfits. Hmmmm!