(-67 lbs.) Fat March

Down another two (2) pounds and feeling good. Not comfortable, GOOD. Today also marks three (3) months since I began this journey- a short time, I know, for a lasting change.

Changing the way I thought about food was a bit of a challenge during the frst couple of weeks. I like to cook and I really like to experiment to find more interesting ways to make stuff taste good. This requires a lot of experimentation--and tasting. Since the beginning of my metamorphosis, I've been working on flavor as a complement to nutrition rather than going whole-hog for flavor to the detriment of any nutritional value. The results have been remarkable.

I have a new appreciation for the natural flavors of vegetables, the subtleties of leaner cuts of meats, and value of fresh herbs over salt. It has been wonderful.

Food has become unleaded fuel; satisfying and flavorful without the sugar, salt, and excess fat.

Segue to Tivo.

Last night we happened upon a program called Fat March. Do the contestants REALLY represent what our society is becoming? I was repulsed, not because of the grotesque obesity, but because of the grotesque personalities of the contestants. These people, by and large, were uglier on the inside as evidenced by their attitudes regarding themselves physically and the catty contempt and selfishness they portrayed toward each-other. It was a train wreck of hopelessness poked and prodded along by inept "physical trainers" heavy on drama but unfortunately lacking in motivation. The contestants' heroin-like addiction to junk fook was absolutely disturbing to the point of unbelievability. My gawd, it had to be an act.

The idea, at least what I could gather, moves a group of morbidly obese contestants to walk 400 miles from Boston to Washington, DC. Along the way there are team "challenges" where they pair off and compete for nicer evening accommodations than the tents the rest of the cast sleep in along the route. The incentive to finish (and cheer each-other on) is the $10,000 each loses for each person that drops out along the way. A situation that should have garnered empathy from those of us who share similar physical dimension and sympathy from those who like to see the underdog triumph was instead a soap opera of human misery, deceit, impotence and guile. In other words, I thought it sucked. How they sold the concept to the sponsors is a mystery.

The Biggest Loser is a triumph of humanity by comparison.

The one thing it does reaffirm is what I truly believe- that attitude is 99% of any personal defeat or triumph. Life can truly become amazing if we DECIDE it will and then TAKE ACTION towards that end- consistently and tirelessly until it IS amazing. That is all it has been required of me thus far. Whatever progress I have made, and believe me when I say I have a long way to go, is because of an attitude of positive certainty that I can and will succeed. Who needs a "trainer" when you have that? Decide and Kick Ass.

P.S. Today was a gym day and was so awesome that I really didn't want to stop. I weighed in first as I usually do for my motivation and was really pumped by the 2lb loss. It really doesn't matter which way the scale moves, if at all; it's all motivation to do more and get stronger. What I once considered dull and boring has actually become fun.