D-day has arrived

I’m sitting in the little room at the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center clinic in Wasilla Friday — you know the one: big examining table covered in paper, lots of little dohickies on the counter in jars of mysterious liquid, maybe an old copy of Highlights magazine on the chair — and a thought bolts into my head …

… If I lose all this weight, does that mean I can’t be jolly anymore?

If you’re going to be reading this blog, you’ll learn soon this happens quite frequently, these little bolts of wisdom, inspiration and sometimes insanity. Another one hit a few weeks ago in a manager’s meeting here at the newspaper. We’re sitting around the table down in the bunker, er the conference room, and it hits me that with everyone knowing I’m doing Trim to Win, I better watch what’s in my basket at the supermarket or not be seen anywhere near a drive-thru, because y’all will just be waiting for that chance to catch me cheating.

That’s good. Maybe the threat of public humiliation (as if today’s photo of me standing on a scale isn’t enough) may be that extra level of accountability I need.

Friday’s pre-Trim to Win physical was also what I needed. I shy away from doctors normally. When you’re my size, no matter whatever ailment I go in for, the doctor believes I can’t go through one visit without a lecture about my weight. I was pleasantly surprised that, when I finally do go for exactly that, I didn’t receive one. Instead, the doctor discussed lifestyle and environment factors that, in addition to diet and exercise, could make a difference in my quality of life.

Both my parents have a fairly common condition called sleep apnea, which basically keeps a person from dropping into the deep REM sleep your body needs. Sleep apnea is hereditary and I’ve had chronic problems with getting enough sleep and waking up frequently when I do. So, I’ll also make an appointment to be tested for this, which is very treatable and goes along with a recent study that shows adults who don’t get enough sleep regularly are more prone to be overweight.

I have few other vises; don’t drink, don’t smoke and, despite my weight, my heart is healthy. So, starting today, out with the diet soda I’ve become pseudo-addicted to and in with the water. The drive-thru will also be just another drive-by (that collective gasp you just heard is from the owners of the area’s fast-food restaurants knowing they’ll have to find someone else to put their kids through college).

Well, there’s much more, but if I wrote it all out now, you’d have nothing else for the next three months. So, until then …

Later, Winners.