The Shrinking Man - A Promise is a Promise

This morning I am going to update my progress on my diet. It is humiliating to admit that I was as overweight as I have been but that is the case.

For the past couple of years I have known that my weight was an obstacle to longevity. I have had excellent, health except for high blood pressure, but I have known there are great health risks associated with obesity. I also understand how difficult it is to change life-long habits.

Last fall I felt that a change was absolutely necessary and also felt that my mind set was in place to follow through. The proof is in the results.

A number of friends have had tremendous success with a diet called the "Dr. Bernstein Diet". It is based on a premise of very limited calories, limited carbohydrates and vitamin and mineral supplements. As I am goal oriented, I needed a diet that would give results and chose to try this. The cost is significant, about $160 a week, so the motivation to lose is enhanced by the out of pocket expense. Three times weekly, I go into the clinic, weigh in and see an LPN who checks my general well-being, occasionally takes my blood pressure and then gives me an injection of vitamins B6 and B12, which supposedly enhances my fat burning. The critical part of the diet is to keep the patients in a state of keetosis, or fat burning. The nurse measures that by checking urine. I am fortunate that I can get myself in to keetosis quickly. I do know of a lady that could not afford the diet, took vitamin supplements, kept herself closely under doctor's care and lost 105 pounds last year.

I started the diet on December 7, (for those of you historians, this is an ominous date). The clinic set my goal for me based on height charts. The weight loss they initially set was very aggressive and we agreed on a 10% margin. I am close to the margin set at this time. Remember that my goal is to enhance my life, to avoid costly health mishaps. As I said earlier it is humiliating to admit that I needed to lose all that I have but as of this morning, it appears that I have lost 80 pounds. I exceeded my own goal when I lost 75 but have adjusted the goals to coincide with Dr. Bernstein's.

Side effects of the diet are the costs of re-wardrobing. I have gone through 6 pant sizes in the process and will likely go through one more. My shirts hang on me. I used to wear size XXL and now a L is the better choice. The other day I had to change pants to go to a meeting and was in a hurry. When I dropped my pants, my underwear dropped along with them.

Many people who haven't seen me in some time have a hard time recognizing me. I no longer take blood pressure medication and my resting heart rate is in the mid 50's. (I think my heart is saying, "I don't know what you did but thanks for the rest.")

Obviously, the next difficult part is going to be keeping the weight off. I do have a different mind set than at other times in my life and feel that I know how to manage it a little better. I haven't allowed myself very much cheating, even through Christmas, a golf trip and a trip to Hawaii, so know that the will power is there.

As a side note, my brother Doug, his wife Nancy and my sister Susan have all had great success on the diet. Gerry has lost 25 - 30 pounds just by shadowing me and is planning on going at it hard. Many people have been very supportive and I thank you all for your support.

So Much To Report

Sorry for the long space between posts but there has been so much happening that it seems we are speeding along at warp 1.

In no particular order, let's review.

1. We sold part of the company. This has been in the works for several months and on February 28, we relinquished the waste and recycling side of Eco-Rite to Stampede Disposal and Recycling. It was time and it was a good thing to do. Unfortunately we also gave up the name as part of the transaction, therefore are now known as Hobble Canyon, Inc. We will continue to do the property management and investments under the new name (it is a new name only, we did not sell our company.)

We have moved the office into our home for the time being.

2. We bought a lot in Raymond. That's really all there is to that comment. We will build a house on the lot and the plan is one that we really like. It is premature to say that we will be moving anytime in the foreseeable future but we will be building a house on the lot. Doug and Nancy bought the lot next to ours and the Cahoons bought the one across the street. I don't think either couple is as committed as we are to building.

3. Most Important News. Gerry and I travelled to Utah to pick Carly up from school. We had a little insight that she was quite smitten with her friend Jesse Smith and it turns out, he, too was smitten with Carly. On Saturday, April 28th, Jesse and I went golfing (somebody needs to fill him in that it isn't cool to beat future father-in-laws when you want something from him.) About the 15th hole, Jesse came directly to the point that he wanted my permission to propose to Carly. (They were already deep in the discussions.) After shedding a number of tears, it became clear that permission was to be granted.

Little did I know that while we were golfing and discussing important things like the how many cows Carly is worth, she and her Mom were out shopping for a wedding dress. Carly is now sporting the largest ring in the family, has stars in her eyes and is planning an August wedding in Salt Lake City. Jesse is an electrical engineering student at BYU. He will graduate next year and is thoughtful and polite.

Carly and Jesse outside Temple Square. I think she is too young,
but who cares what old geezers think.

The week in Utah was spent doing wedding stuff, not golfing and goofing like I had hoped. It turns out that what we did was far more important.

Next post I will report on the Bernstein Diet. It has been a smashing success.