First 3 letters of Diet are D-I-E

When I was in high school, food was a huge necessity. My metabolism was literally off the charts. I was 6'"3 and 175 lbs. soaking wet. I could eat an x-large meat lovers stuff crust pizza from Pizza Hut at one time. Quarter pound with cheese? HA! I would eat two of them before I blinked. I wouldn't eat bowls of cereal - it was more like buckets of cereal...the best kind of cereal - none of this whole wheat junk. I am talking about Frosted Flakes, Captain Crunch, or Rice Krispies with a gallon of sugar poured into them! And oh yes, 2% milk all the way baby. I would stick my nose in the air and laugh in the face of skim milk. When my family would go to a nice restaurant, I would order a 20 ounce Prime Rib, eat the whole thing, and want another. Krispy Kreme was my Gatorade! Through it all, I never gained any fat or weight. I would hate to know what my parent's grocery bill was like when I was in high school, and I'm an only child.

So what in the name of lard and sugar happens from the time you graduate high school to adulthood? Everything that was good to me then is bad for me now. Skim milk beats me on the head with a big cheesy grin on its face. Cereal? Ha....that word is not even in my vocabulary. I now ask for water with lemon at a restaurant instead of sweet tea. Those 20 once Prime Rib steaks have been replaced with lemon chicken. And my snacks are no longer Krispy Kreme doughnuts but apples and wheat thin crackers.

It's funny how life can throw you a curve ball every now and then. Of course, I am sure all of this has nothing to do with the fact that I played three sports in high school, played college basketball, and probably ran the equivalent of 4-5 miles a day. The good news of late is that with these changes - I have called them my "lifestyle changes" - I have lost 32 lbs. since January 1. I am wearing clothes that are so old that they used to be in style, fell out of style, and are now back in style. By working out daily again, I have more energy, and hopefully am taking care of my body long term so that I can see my grand kids grow up.

Yes, life can and will throw you a curve ball, but that curve can be a good thing. I have seen a lot of curve balls get jacked into the bleachers for a home run. Like a batter, you just have to know how to see the pitch, adjust to it, and let her rip.