2 days before I begin Jenny Craig for Men

A few months ago my Dr. gently reminded me that I was 30 pounds over weight. He talked about my BMI or MBA or DMX or whatever something something index. Let me tell you a little something about me, as soon as someone starts with the technical terms whatever is the receiving end of my brain turns the channel and starts to watch reruns of High School or the day my film opened or some other happier time. So I tuned him out. Sorry Doc. But way back in the nether regions of my ubersubconcious there was a little ticking clock that I could always just barely hear. It was my age. I want to believe that I'm still that skinny little 15 year old that the football jocks used to make fun of in the P.E. weight room (until they saw me kick arse on the wrestling team.) I want to believe that if I ignore my health then it will be just fine. If I don't acknowledge it then it must not be real. Truth is I'm mostly healthy. I've had the blood tests and the heart tests and aside from some nasty migraines on occasion, I don't have any definable health issues... except for my weight. My overweightiness, my girthy middle, my loveable love handles, can and will lead to more problems down the road and as the saying goes, I ain't gettin' any youthier.

When I was a lot younger I was kind of a health freak. My favorite snack was sunflower sprouts. Something I might use to induce a gag reflex if I needed to regurgitate bad kung pao chicken nowadays. Way back when I would spend every afternoon at the gym. But somewhere down the road I gave into other interests, like making a living, and gave up on the gym and the health food and concentrated more on the brainier side of life. The brain is a powerful thing. Mine managed to convince me for years that joining a gym was good enough, I didn't actually have to use the equipment. My brain convinced me that since I was of Sicilian decent, I had an almost historic right to eat more than the average bear. My brain you see, was taking over and my body had long given in to this much more powerful entity. Then something weird happened. Jason Alexander weird.

I had seen the Kirstie Alley weight loss. I watched little Valerie Bertinelli go from hrumph to woah! I just never thought Jenny Craig could be for men. Stupid right? I know it doesn't make any sense at all. But as I said my brain had long taken over the journey for both it and my body and I'm quite certain it figured out a way to block this plain logic... if it works for women then why wouldn't it work for men. Jenny Craig for Men? Then one day I saw rolley-poley Jason Alexander walk into frame. My brain may be powerful but growing up a TV baby, the television has a special power over all things Billy. So I watched as George Costanza joined Barbara Cooper on screen and proclaim his intentions to lose weight. Holy crap! If he can do it so can I. It was really that simple. He's close to my age. He's close to my height and weight. If this guy can do it then so can I. Then the healthcare bill passed, and I watched on TV. I guess I was inspired by the idea that we can be healthier. Within a day my brain agreed with my TV.

I called up Jenny Craig yesterday and joined their 10 bucks for 10 pounds starter program. I ordered from a very nice lady named Norma over the phone, 28 days worth of what sounds like yummy meals and snacks. I've already received two e-mails welcoming me and this morning Joe called me to make sure I didn't have any questions. "Support" he said is the key to success. So... I'm starting this blog. Maybe someone out there will read it and feel the urge to save their own life through weight loss and better eating habits. I'm up to the challenge to change my life. I want to be around for a very long time. There's work to do after all. Not to mention a family to love.

My food arrives on Thursday. I bought a microwave yesterday. I'm a little scared and very excited. Today I'm going to walk for 15 minutes. One step at a time as they say. I promise to post pictures and my progress as it happens. Expect much more soon...