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  • FED UP: Rachel, 1 Week after Weight-Loss Surgery

    Since there was such a big response to last week’s Q&A with “Rachel,” figured I’d publish this email she sent to me Saturday. I edited out one or two details that might make you squeamish. (OK, they made ME squeamish.) Leslie: I was released from the hospital (Friday) at about 1 p.m.  Considering the major…

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  • Tinkerbell, the Clap and Exercise

    Tinkerbell was growing weaker, her light fading, but when all the little children began clapping their hands, Tinkerbell sprang back to life. Whether you believe in fairies or not, wouldn’t it be cool if, when we were starting to fade, a bunch of folks would come to our rescue and make sure we came back…

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  • Either Go to Bed, Or Eat Everything in the House

    I want birthday cake. Maybe a big dish of ice cream. Nachos with lots of jalapenos would be good right about now, too. My eyes are closed as I type this because it’s midday and I’m fading, fast. I swore I’d never pull another all-nighter, but a client’s grant application was due, and it’s for…

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  • FED UP: A Q&A with Rachel, Weight-Loss Surgery Candidate (Part 2)

    As promised Monday, my friend Rachel answers some questions about the gastric bypass surgery she had this morning in Charlotte. I just spoke with her. She’s groggy … and grateful. Right now, Rachel (not her real name) is 5’4” tall and about 208 pounds. She wants to lose 80-85 pounds, hopefully in about six months’…

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  • FED UP: A Q&A with Rachel, Weight-Loss Surgery Candidate (Part 1)

    As promised yesterday, my friend Rachel answers some questions about the gastric bypass surgery she’s having tomorrow down in Charlotte. Right now, Rachel (not her real name) is 5’4” tall and about 208 pounds. She wants to lost 80-85 pounds, hopefully in about six months’ time. This is a procedure for the morbidly obese. Do…

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  • My Friend's Weight-Loss Surgery is Wednesday

    My friend Rachel* is having gastric bypass surgery in Charlotte on Wednesday. I’m both happy and concerned for her. I’m happy she’ll finally be able lose all the weight she wants. I’m scared because of possible complications, even though her quality of life should increase dramatically soon after. There are a lot of stats out…

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  • 25 Down . . . 75 to Go

    Finally! I thought the first 25 would slide right off, but that has hardly been the case. I’ve been through so many changes the past few months, and that had me back on the weight roller-coaster. Hands-down, April was the worst month of all. This week was no picnic, either, and I think stress helped…

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  • Oprah, Food and God

    So I just watched yesterday’s Oprah, because I’d seen commercials the day before about how she was declaring she’d never diet again, but wouldn’t say why. I rarely watch Oprah because the TV’s almost never on around 4 p.m., but for this particular promo I happened to be in the right place at the right…

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  • Why Talk about Weight to the Overweight?

    Back in the day when I was doing some diversity training, I liked to share some wisdom I’d been taught about Native Americans, who are sometimes perceived as unintelligent, antisocial or disrespectful because of the way they communicate. Fact is, this is a culture that understands the power of words; that understands that once words…

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  • 24 Pounds and Counting . . .

    Just one more pound and I can shout I LOST 25 POUNDS! A single, lousy pound. I’ve been gaining and losing this same pound for the past two weeks. I’d bounce up about two pounds, then drop one, leaving this same, crazy pound. I did lose it once, but didn’t say anything because the next…

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