October 4, I stepped on the scale and knew that I needed to take action to deal with my weight, which had been going up and was now higher than it had been in more than a decade. In fact, I don’t have records that go back far enough with a higher weight than my October 4 weight.

Things were out of hand. With obesity listed as a Covid comorbidity, it brought home to me that I could spend time in the hospital (or worse) if I didn’t take action to deal with this. I woke up with Covid nightmares regularly.

What made it worse was that in the age of Covid I couldn’t rely on previous strategies that worked because they required frequent visits to the grocery store: eating plenty of fresh, raw veggies, lots of green smoothies, and lots of cauliflower (my favorite veggie). Because of Covid we were shopping just once every 6 weeks or so and fresh veggies wouldn’t last that long. Even buying frozen veggies in quantity would be problematic because of the amount of space required.

I went back to something that worked for us many years ago in Denver: the McDougall Plan. It’s a free plan that emphasizes starch (potatoes, rice, legumes, etc.) with vegetables and fruits with no added oils. The details of the program are free to learn online. They even have a free forum to help people.

They also offer a 12-day assisted program done through video conferencing which includes daily, weekly, and monthly support for the year. I decided to spring for the 12-day program, figuring that if I was going to do this during self-isolation, I needed help.

I’ve completed my tenth week of the program and I’ve lost 12 pounds in that time. My blood pressure dropped from high to normal. My cholesterol came down from 201 to 165. Steve’s cholesterol also came down to normal for the first time we can remember.

What has surprised me most about this is that it’s been easy and pleasant. I like the food, which is basically my comfort food, and I don’t really miss anything. I barely think about food anymore, which is a benefit I don’t recall ever getting from any other program. I can pour my attention into my writing without worrying about what to make or how to prepare it. As a side benefit, we’re saving money on groceries.

The doctor and my program administrator have worked with my personal issues to help me be successful. I was right that I needed help to figure things out for our lifestyle and for my particular brain, so I’m glad I went for the 12-day program with support for a year. I’m happy.

My support goes until October, 2021. My plan is to continue with the program until next October and re-evaluate it then. I’ll let you know as the year goes on what I think, but I don’t plan to post more frequently than quarterly on this.

Would I recommend it to you? Yes, I think it is healthy and a good program. But there are many good ways to lose weight. This is not the only way. If you’re interested, take a look at the free information. You may not need more than that. I’m happy to answer questions about my experiences. I get nothing if you join so there is no incentive here other than the generosity we owe each other. In other words, I’m happy and wanted to share.

Ultimately your body is your business. I’m not here to tell you what to do, just to send what love I have to you for being exactly who you are. I hope you find a way of being that brings you health and joy in 2021.

Be well, friends!