Welcome to "Same Old Sh*t" Saturday, where I replay one of my "golden oldies" so I can spend extra time trying to overload my Philips DirectLife activity monitor (Hi, Directlife Coach Jen!). This one started out as a silly little something-something and turned a little more profound in the end...
About six months ago, I was dragging my hefty self down the home stretch of a mile-and-a half walk around the block when my portly, nearly deaf neighbor Art Deco waved me down (that’s not his real name, by the way; his real name is Arthur Deco).
“JACKIE,” he bellowed over the droning of his leaf blower (Art’s got a thing about leaves touching his lawn, so he blows them over to my yard). “YOU TRYIN’ TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT?”
“Geez, Art,” I frowned, putting my index finger up to my mouth. “We don’t need to announce it to the entire neighborhood…”
“I NEED TO DROP A FEW POUNDS, TOO,” he exclaimed, patting his own extended mid-section.
“Great,” I told him. “We can be dieting buddies and help each other out. When I feel the urge to drive out and get a burger and fries, I'll call you first.”
“GREAT!” smiled Art. “I’LL RIDE WITH YOU.”
In the days that followed, I invited him on walks, told him about all the wild and crazy smoothies I was making and clued him in on a senior special the gym I had just joined was offering, but Art wasn’t interested in any of that.
“I’M NOT PAYING FOR SOME FANCY-SCHMANCY GYM,” Art told me one afternoon.
A couple of months passed and Art stopped me on the street again.
“JACKIE, YOU’RE LOSING WEIGHT, SON.”
“Yeah,” I smiled. “That was kind of the idea, Art. Except I thought that you were gonna do this with me.”
“I TRIED THAT SUBWAY DIET FOR A WEEK–YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT JARED GUY,” Art said. “BUT I WOUND UP GAINING TEN POUNDS. TEN POUNDS! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?”
“THAT DOESN’T SOUND RIGHT,” I said, before catching myself. “I mean, that doesn’t sound right.”
“I DON’T KNOW,” Art shook his head. “I HAD ONE SIX-FOOT SUB SANDWICH EVERY DAY FOR LUNCH.”
“Ahhhhhh,” I nodded. “I think I may see the problem. Well, c’mon. We’ll try again. I’ll help…”
“MAYBE AFTER THE FOURTH OF JULY,” he told me. “WE’RE HAVING A BIG COOKOUT WITH THE GRANDKIDS.”
I shrugged and returned home. Things got kind of busy, and I didn’t talk to Art for a couple of months.
“JACKIE,” he smiled. “YOU’RE WASTIN’ AWAY TO NOTHIN’.”
“Yeah, Art,” I told him. “This program I’m on is really working. The sooner we get you started, the sooner you can drop those pounds, too.”
“OH,” exclaimed Art. “IT’S EASIER FOR SOME FOLKS THAN IT IS FOR OTHERS, JACKIE.”
So here I am, 75 pounds down and believing in my own future. What Art doesn’t understand is that this journey isn’t easy for me, isn’t easy for anybody I know. It’s day after day of dedication, of good choices, of hard work.
For people who believe in themselves, the hard road becomes less difficult. For the ones who don’t believe, the difficult road becomes impossible.
This road is long and hard. I am at an 'are we there yet' point right now. I need some in-car/in-body activities to keep me engaged for the ride. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Missa
LosingEthel
YEP! Says a lot. Those that believe in themselves, the hard road becomes less difficult. BUT most of the time, you have to get STARTED to see that!
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be a common theme running through the blogging for weigh loss community these last few weeks...maybe art feels he.must be perfect, like his lawn.
ReplyDeleteNice!
ReplyDeleteI am glad Art is a long way from here: he is a match made in hell with a couple of my "how come you lose weight so easy when I can't" whiney friends......
ReplyDeleteI loved this - have spent the last two years, and especially the last six months dealing with so many people who tell me "Well, my body just doesn't lose weight..." What, you figure this was easy for me?
ReplyDeleteGoing to link to this on my blog - I really think it's important.
I love this.
ReplyDeleteI saw a baby pool on my run this morning...suddenly I was craving dip!
I loved this Jack!
ReplyDeleteYou know, starting out I didn't think I could lose weight. I figured that because everyone else in my family is "big," that "big" is just who I was. I didn't believe in myself.
Now when the rest of my family remarks about my weight loss and say things like "well, it's easy for you because you are (insert adjective here.)" I just brush it off and tell them that they can do it to.
Whether anyone believes me (or in themselves) is a whole nother' story.
:)
Great post!
ReplyDeleteOh the numer of time I've heard: Yeah it's easy for you!
ReplyDeleteWTF? No it ain't. But I sacrifice things. And if you do want to splurge A LITTLE on an event... well start before. :)
Amen!!!
ReplyDeleteI hear these same excuses from my Dad everyday as he sees me making healthy food choices. It's disheartening when you know he can do it, but he just doesn't believe he can.
ReplyDeleteJosher McGuire
phatjosh.com
"For people who believe in themselves, the hard road becomes less difficult. For the ones who don’t believe, the difficult road becomes impossible."
ReplyDeleteThat's why my email address is 'nothing is too hard' That's why my Blog is called the same.
I am constantly reminding myself that no matter how difficult it is, it's not impossible.
Despite the fact that you basically read my mind with this post - I just wrote about the difficult, but not impossible - I tip my hat to you sir.
ReplyDeleteNever were words truer. Thanks for the reminder, yet again today.
My mother and mother in law are just like Art, My Mum is on some craze diet (BodyTrim) I haven't seen her drop too much weight in the past few months. I think she just needs to up her exercise and lessen her food intake. EAT MORE VEGIES, a tablespoon of beans with dinner is not enough vegetables. Eat better leaner cutsd of meat. Oh how I save my WW points on a Monday.
ReplyDeleteThis was the perfect post for me to ready today - thanks for sharing! It's the perfect reminder to just keep plodding along, doing what I'm doing...there is no point waiting for others to get started.
ReplyDelete