Moxie’s Musings – The Other “O” Word

Staying at a lovely little place in the Texas hill country. I left San Antonio years ago, swearing I’d never come back because it’s gotten so big and way too busy. But I’d forgotten how beautiful it is, and how cool the people are. It seems like almost everybody here is at least slightly bilingual and somehow connected to the military. Just like me. My host is Dr. Eva J. Lopez, a human spark plug. She’s petite, but somehow still “normal” sized – not like those tiny little elfin things in yoga class. She’s firm, exceptionally intelligent, and she puts me at ease – a major accomplishment since I have a resolute aversion to all doctors. Doc has me step on the clinic scale, stand still for vitals, contort myself for measurements.  The stethoscope comes out, big breath, say ahhh, yada-yada-yada… it’s another physical. OK, I won’t have a panic attack. But this physical is a lot more thorough than I’ve had in years. She seems to have almost memorized my lab results as she’s explaining them to me. Finally, we get to move into her office and sit down for a talk. I want a cookie.

It’s not the fun Big O word, it’s the other one.

I’m grateful she doesn’t repeat it again. “Obese” she said. And I know it, but I never say it. I certainly don’t look at it in the mirror if I can avoid it. And besides, I eat lots of vegetables! At 50, there must be some other reason for this injustice. I start mentally rationalizing why this is – but she notices I’m drifting and redirects me to the issue at hand. “We can do this together,” I think I hear her say. Together?! I live 2,000 miles away. And isn’t she supposed to just tell me what to do – so I can go away and try for a few days or weeks before I give up in frustration again? Nope. Dr. Lopez is going to walk me through a week of what she calls Destination: Transformation.

*Results may vary. Not all diets are right for all people, and weight loss is never guaranteed.