One of the most important things you can do to improve your health is to lose weight — my cardiologist has given me a goal weight, 25 pounds less than what I weighed when I had the heart attack. I’ve already lost 15 pounds since then, which I think is due almost entirely to a better diet. In a few weeks, I start fitness classes which I hope will help me find some kind of exercise that I will be able to deal with for years to come.
People have told me that they can see I’ve lost weight, but I don’t really see it myself — I think I’ve always seen myself as weighing less than I do, I am always shocked to see photos of myself, which make me look much bigger than I appear in the mirror.
But there’s one significant piece of evidence for this weight loss: the other day, I went out to spray a wasp’s nest on the side of my neighbor’s house — and when I did, they started to swarm out toward me. I ran into the backyard and then into the house, and by the time I reached the door my shorts were around my knees.
Yesterday, I put on my tightest jeans and after only a few minutes walking around, I discovered that they were starting to fall down; it turns out that I can now take these jeans off without unbuttoning or unzipping them.
Ten pounds to go. I’ll need new jeans.
Isn’t that the best feeling though, when your old jeans are loose? Good luck with the fitness classes; exercise is going to help you in many ways. How’s the walking going?