# 25 STILL STUCK

It's now been more than a month that I've been stuck at 4-5-6 pounds from my ultimate goal. Now, for the last few days, it's been a solid four pounds. And the goal itself is just an arbitrary number I set for myself. Sticking to the Medi-fast program, I'm sure I can now forge ahead to that goal. But I'm bothered by the fact that my belly remains (despite the reduction in weight) obvious. I'd like it to just go away. But I suppose I'll have to lose a lot more weight - more than my goal weight - or do a lot more sit-ups to achieve that. And sit-ups are difficult. Despite being able to do 100 or so on a ball, the result is not only some pain in my belly, but also a severe pain in my back. So, I've had to give up sit-ups for the moment. Wish me luck. And

stay tuned.

# 24 THE BELT

I bought it in the usual chic little shop in the usual chic lobby just before checking out of the always chic Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney, at the beginning of a chic Christmas cruise of Australia and New Zealand in December of 2002. It was made of woven, black kangaroo hide, a leather with which I was not familiar and which the clerk said would last forever. Charmed by this mystique of composition and durability, I put it on immediately and it’s been my favorite belt ever since, accompanying me on all my many trips since then to many exotic (and chic) places in the world. I lost it once, and ran out immediately and bought a black woven Ralph Lauren one to replace it. But the Ralph Lauren was thicker and nowhere near as pliable so when I found the kangaroo in the bottom of a carry-on bag where I had apparently neglected it in my hurried effort to unpack from some other trip, I was so pleased that I put it back on the Levis I was wearing and banished the Ralph Lauren to a lonely bin (with belts I could no longer wear) in the dark depths of my closet. Since then, I’ve worn the kangaroo almost all the time, even when I’m wearing brown trousers, on the theory that black, or at least this black, goes with everything. (In truth, I’ve reached an age where I really no longer care.)

            When I bought it, the kangaroo had more holes than I needed, resting comfortably around my waist somewhere in the last third of a row of holes reinforced behind with an extra piece of non-braided black leather. Through the years, the kangaroo has expanded and contracted as my weight has changed, but it gradually settled with the bright-brass, buckle-tongue solidly inserted in the third hole from the inner end, where my weight (and my waist) stabilized at a level at which my doctor originally feigned mild surprise, then frowned upon, and ultimately informed me was “obese” on that hateful Body Mass Index. Uncompromising as this stubborn manifestation of self-delusion was, and almost painfully uncomfortable the result, I refused to move the belt to a looser girth, and the strain on the hole became so great that it gradually opened further, pulling at the leather on the leading edge of the hole and threatening to rip it out entirely. When I sat to watch television, I was forced to loosen the belt so I could breathe, which took some temporary strain off the hole. But each morning, when I put the belt back on, I took a deep breath and lodged the buckle-tongue in that same unhappy third hole from the end. And so it went. Until finally, my doctor’s pleading admonitions, my unattractive reflection in the mirror, and a resurgence of determination toward control of my life pushed me into a Medi-fast diet program that helped me to lose 38 pounds in 60 days, just five pounds short of my ultimate goal. As the weight came off, the kangaroo grew looser around my shrinking belly and I’m sure it was greatly relieved (as was I) when I lost ten pounds and the buckle-tongue could be moved out of the third hole to the second from the inner end. I almost shouted out my triumph. The kangaroo rested happily there for several weeks until I found, to my surprise and incredible delight, at a weight loss of 20 pounds, that it could be moved again, to the last hole from the inner end. I was now out of holes. But I was happy. And the kangaroo seemed happy too, almost as though it had played some essential role in my achievement. But now, at 38 pounds lost, the kangaroo is too loose again and has had to be moved to a place beyond the holes, beyond the reinforcement on the back, into no-hole, virgin territory. If it rests there for any extended time, I’m sure the buckle-tongue will cut a new and familiar groove between the woven strands of leather, but without reinforcement, this position could threaten the kangaroo’s very existence. Alas. Success sometimes contains its own bitter failure. If the end of the kangaroo’s long life cannot now be far away, it may have to be, like me, retired. I guess I’ll just have to resurrect the Ralph Lauren.

 

Stay tuned.

Phil Cooper, September 2013

 

#23 CHEATING DOESN'T PAY

My friend, Dennis, came from Cleveland for my birthday and brought two gifts, both candy: a box of delicious and exotic nuts covered with chocolate - turtles I think they call them - and a box of chocolate covered pretzels. Dennis knew I loved both and it was very sweet of him to cater to my sweet tooth. (He didn't know I'd been dieting so no need to say here, " Get thee behind me Satan!"). My theory being that the sooner I ate them, the sooner they'd be gone (and the sooner the temptation would end), even rationing them out to no more than two a day was dangerous. Then I left my diet plan for a great dinner at The Prime Rib - one of my most memorable, as a matter of fact - and began to cheat here and there: my old haunt, Jimmy's, for breakfast (two poached eggs on dry toast, but still....), a tuna sandwich once in a while, some basmati rice. After checking my weight every morning and finding it unchanged (at 5 pounds over my goal weight), I see this morning that I'm a couple of pounds heavier than even that. So, believe me: cheating doesn't pay. I've learned that now.

I've ordered some new Medi-fast food that should arrive today. And I've rededicated myself to being strict about my program until I do lose that last 5, no now 8, pounds. So except for the "lean and green" every day, I'll be back on the plan, strictly, this time. (Well, maybe except for the lobster I've ordered for Saturday. After all, with a glut of them in Maine, and the price now way down, how can you not be tempted?) But after that, Medi-fast, Medi-fast, Medi-fast, five times a day, lean and green once, and lots and lots of water. Wish me well.

Stay tuned.  

# 22 NOT GOING ANYWHERE

Okay. I'm still stuck 5 pounds away from my goal (of losing a total of 42 pounds), where I've been now for over 2 weeks. I try not to be discouraged but this last five pounds is a bear. I've run out of food again and have been cheating a little, trying to transition to more "normal" food and, thank goodness, not gaining any weight. But I'm not losing either. I guess I'll have to order more food and make an all-out push for that last five.

I'm also being good by building in an exercise routine. I walk a mile every morning and work out in my building's gym, trying to lose the weight in my core (as they call it), where it's the most obvious. 100 sit-ups on a ball every other day just hasn't cut it so far. I still have belly. But the ab muscles do hurt some and you know what they say: "pain = gain." I've promised myself another dinner at The Prime Rib when this last five pounds is gone. Wish me well. And

stay tuned

#21 STUCK, BUT NOT SURPRISED

I'm sorry to admit that I'm stuck again, or plateaued, at 5-6 pounds short of my overall goal. (The indecision about 5 or 6 is caused by my standing so far away from the dial on my scale - after all, it's six feet away - that it's hard to see, and the fact that the dial is so small that complete accuracy is difficult. So, I acknowledge the one pound leeway between hopeful and possible.) I'm not at all surprised. When my friend Dennis came last week to share my birthday, he brought candy - two boxes of it - knowing how much I like it and not knowing I was not eating it. I couldn't resist. So rack up some sugar calories. Further, since Sunday, I've been experiencing a high degree of dizziness (no cracks, please) in response to which my doctor has asked me to go off the Medi-fast program while we try to figure out what's going on in my body. (Maybe an inner ear thing.) So while I've been eating Medi-fast between regular meals in an effort to keep my metabolism percolating, breakfast, lunch and dinner have been off the program. I've tried to keep them lean but I've noticed since being on the program that the whole world, despite hawking low fat food, is subtly  against me. Friends urge me to have just one drink, or try just one French fry, or if I'm at their home for dinner, load up my plate with more food than I want. It's very hard to resist and even more difficult to break the habit ingrained in childhood to eat everything on your plate; remember the starving children in China! However, despite this pause (notice I consider it only a pause), I will lose those last 5 or 6 pounds; it's just taking a little longer than I had hoped and anticipated.

The good news is that I'm no longer dragging around those other 37-38 pounds - imagine carrying four 10-pound weights with you all the time - my lower back no longer aches and I can get into trousers I haven't worn in years (I've lost at least 2 inches off my waist). I focus on that.

Stay tuned.

#20 CORRECTIONS (AS NEEDED)

I want to correct any mistaken impression I might have given that my dizziness of yesterday and today is due to my Medi-fast program. I've been assured by both my doctor and Jill, my coach, that this cannot be the case. So, don't worry about becoming dizzy (any more than you may already be) by following the program. My dizziness is caused, according to the doctors, by what is called a "viral vertigo," a condition without a cause and no cure but fortunately of short duration. They reassure me by saying that it should only last a week or so. Good news, I guess.

If I haven't sufficiently endorsed the program before, I want to here provide my whole-hearted approval of the Medi-fast program. Anything that can get me to give up vodka, carbs and sugar for 60 days has got to be good. I'll reiterate by saying I've lost (so far; and I'm still on the program) 38 pounds since the Fourth of July. That's truly amazing! And I haven't been hungry or dissatisfied (at least with my diet). So, if you're thinking of doing this, barge right ahead. If you need more information, or would just like to talk to me about it, feel free to email me at philcoop@aol.com or call me at 410.225.2020. My coach, Jill, has also been a great help and would be happy to coach you as well. So don't just think of doing it. DO IT! You, too, can lose a lot of weight in a very short time. Believe me when I say it will make you feel really good about being so good to yourself

Stay tuned.

# 19 SOME COMPLICATIONS

Having cheated so much while Dennis was here, I tried to go back on my diet yesterday but became so dizzy I had to go to Patient First for help. After many tests of all my vital signs (and others not so vital), they couldn't decide what's wrong with me. They gave me some pills to take for the dizziness and told me to come back today, if necessary. Well, I'm on my way. But I wanted all my readers to know that even after cheating for several days and the disruption caused by my being sick (I don't know what else to call it) yesterday, I haven't gained any weight and remain only 5 pounds away from my goal. That's good news indeed!

Stay tuned.

#18 CHEATING AGAIN

My friend, Dennis, joined me from Cleveland for my birthday on Thursday and I've been very bad the last couple of days. First, dinner at The Prime Rib, where I splurged, as I've said, on their signature dish, the best prime rib I've ever eaten. They yesterday, we went to New York, primarily to see "Kinky Boots," but we also had time to go downtown to the 9/11 Memorial. They served a breakfast of bagels with cream cheese and jam on the bus going up, and I ate it all. I tried to be a little better at lunch, outside at George's Restaurant at the tip of Manhattan, eating a Caesar Salad with grilled chicken. And then, we were served dinner on the bus coming back home. Mine was a turkey sandwich but it was so dry I had to add a little lubricant in the form of little touches of Russian dressing. I resisted all the alcohol but am sure I had many more calories (and fats and carbs) than usual. It all tasted good and I loved it, even though I knew I shouldn't be eating it. I'm a couple of pounds heavier this morning - not a lot, but certainly no loss (even though we walked a lot in Manhattan) - and feel a certain guilt about cheating. But back to my Medi-fast program today, with a renewed dedication to keeping "to it" in order to lose those last five or six pounds between me and my goal.

Stay tuned.

#17 MISSING MY GOAL

My goal, when I started my Medi-fast program on the fifth of July was to reach 200 pounds before my 78th birthday on September 5, over 40 pounds in 60 days. I must confess that I missed it by 4-5 pounds. But my progress has been amazing nonetheless and I'm very happy with the results. I will continue the program but begin to transition (carefully) to more usual food. I don't miss the drinking so will do that only on special occasions and I'll be very careful about carbs and sugar. But I must admit to going to The Rib on my birthday and having - for the first time in a long time - a big slab of medium raw prime rib, their signature dish. It was delicious! And I had a glass of champagne, my first alcohol in two months, and a little red wine with dinner. My friend, Dennis, is here from Cleveland so although I've been having my Medi-fast meals regularly, we've been going out for dinner. Last night was a Cobb Salad at the Café Hon. It was very good. So, to all of you who are thinking of dieting, I recommend Medi-fast without reservation. Contact me if you want more information and I'll happily put you in touch with my coach, Jill, who calls regularly to encourage, and check on me. I'll keep you posted. I'm still determined to reach 200! So

Stay tuned.