New Year, New You?

I’ve shared my aversion to New Year’s resolutions. I postulated that it is better to set short- and long-term personal goals rather than a quickly forgotten resolution. Well, I think I may need to reevaluate my position. Desperate times call for desperate measures and I’m at the point where I need to resolve to make a big change in 2023. Goal setting just ain’t working!

What is in so dire need of a resolution? Bottom line, I’ve got to shed some weight. The “retirement 15” post military has turned into the “retirement 25”. I’ve got to get control of this quick. I just don’t like the way the extra weight makes me feel and I know over time, the extra pounds are not good for my health. I am not overly concerned about appearance, but I suppose shedding a few pounds will help with that too.

My weight is really a coming-of-age story. I grew up bone thin. In fact, when I joined the Army, I was one of those recruits the doctor performing the entrance medical exam had to verify whether I met minimum weight requirements! Growing up, I always had a great appetite and took pride in eating everything placed in front of me. It always seemed no matter what I tried as a young man, I couldn’t gain weight! I realize now this was a very good problem to have. This week’s featured pics are separated by a mere 20 years!

As an aside, it’s been fun to watch our oldest son who must have inherited the same gene with regards to metabolism. He has handled it well. He turned into a gym rat at age 16 and eats more calories than should be humanly possible. As a result, he carries his 6’2” frame well at 168lbs and has a very positive self-image.  I tell him often to enjoy the gift while he can. It won’t be long until he may be struggling with his metabolism like me!

Flash forward about 30 years from my initial Army physical where I was not far from being underweight. Now my metabolism has slowed such that I can look at food and gain weight. Even though I eat much less than my son, it seems like every bite equals another ounce. I know there are no fad diets, magic pills, surgery or other therapies to help me shed the weight. It is really a very simple problem of life choices. I need to eat less and exercise more or put another way, burn more calories than I take in.

But that oversimplified solution is always easier said than done. There are a whole host of mental pitfalls to get over. Exercising more and eating less will take a personal commitment and a change in the way I think. I can do it; I’ve done it before. In the past however, I had an external source such as the Army driving me. Now it all has to come from within. I suppose this is the reason I need to make weight loss a resolution in my life. In 2023, I resolve to lose 25 pounds!

Fortunately, most of the other areas in my life are doing pretty well. There is some other stuff I need to work on in my life but are hardly addressable via a New Year’s resolution! All in all, I roll with the ebbs and flows of life pretty well. I just think I could roll a lot better if I wasn’t carrying around this extra weight!  

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