About Those Unsightly Extra Pounds

Battle is raging today, here on N. Wintzell. It's that time again, as after nearly two years of convalescing I am engaging again in the Battle of the Bulge. For two consecutive nights now, I've gotten out for a run. I hope to drop a few pounds and improve my cardio health and stamina. Lest you think this move is inspired by vanity, well, it is at least a little bit. On the other hand, I hope that this latest move is inspired by a desire for long-term health. A few observations about the current state of my health:

1) I'm not in quite as bad a shape as I thought I was. Running has not been pleasant, by any means, but it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. Then again, I'm not running very far or very fast...

2) I think the difference is my Nike Dri-Fit t-shirt. While we were on vacation in Pigeon Forge, we engaged in that most American of pastimes, visiting the outlets. At the Nike store, I found some great deals on the aforementioned Nike shirts. I may not be very fast, but at least I run wearing a cool looking t-shirt. My Reebok pumps in 1991 may not have made me jump any higher, but I definitely think these shirts are boosting my running performance.

3) I like to eat way too much, and my hometown has provided too many opportunities to indulge. I blame all of you fantastic cooks for my current situation. In every church and community I've ever been in, the folks there thought they were the best cooks in the world. Citizens of Bayou la Batre, you win. On a trip to New England a few years back, Suzanne and I found ourselves in Burlington, Vermont on a Saturday night looking for supper. I was the fattest man in the entire city. After we finally found supper, I realized why. If I had to eat that slop three meals a day, I'd be thin too.

4) I sit around too much. Unfortunately, I do sedentary well. Don't get me wrong, I like to be active, but I also like to read, study, and relax. At the end of my day, one of the latter options is most likely to win out. Discipline and motivation are hard.

5) This really matters. As much as I wish it didn't, I know that I need to establish some healthier parameters in terms of my diet and exercise. I'd like to get as much out of the years I have as I can.

6) I could use some accountability, so if you see a fat guy running down N. Wintzell, yell something encouraging! Also, please don't throw anything at me.

7) I eat at Subway a lot, so that should count as healthy, right? What do you mean the chicken shouldn't be slathered in bacon and ranch dressing? What if I add spinach, is this a fair trade?

Hopefully, I will be providing updates on this journey in the weeks and months ahead. My goal is to parlay this effort in to running some kind of race (I'm mulling options now). Until then, it's off to bed with my tired legs and time to recover before I'm pounding the pavement again, here on N. Wintzell.