But Not For Me

Good News on the weight front! Just...not for me. My friend Chenoa is fitting into clothes she hasn't worn in years due to hard work on the Curves weight and exercise program. My friend Deb has lost nearly 40 pounds and her hypertension and diabetes are in check. And, Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is an example for us all. He's written a book about his 110 pound weight loss and the disappearance of his Type 2 diabetes. I don't know if Huckabee is a Democrat or Republican, but he has really changed his life. He went from being winded after climbing one flight of stairs to being fit enough to run the Little Rock Marathon.

I'm rooting for Mike a little louder than most people. As they say in the musical "Big River," "Arkansas, Arkansas, I just love old Arkansas." I've got roots that go way back to Nashville (yes, there is a Nashville, Arkansas) and Hot Springs, and I'm especially thrilled to see one of my "kin" doing so well in the health department. My grandfather, who ran his own farm from the age of 16, died at 54 -- most probably because he was a lifetime smoker and ate meat for every meal. My grandmother was a wonderful cook who kept a grease container on the stove and whenever something (like okra or eggplant) needed flavor, in went a dollop of bacon grease. I felt like I could die and go to heaven eating her fried pies (biscuit dough wrapped around fruit filling and fried in a cast iron skillet) greens of any kind (don't forget the bacon grease), fried salmon patties, corn bread, black-eyed peas, watermelon rind preserves (pure sugar), home made biscuits, prune cake (especially moist because of the butter and sugar syrup poured over the entire dessert). Her motto was "Eat 'til you can't eat no more." Jesus, no wonder I'm fat!

But Governor Mike has turned away from the dark side and he's trying to help young people do the same along with former President Clinton and a program entitled "Healthy Arkansas." He didn't approach his weight loss like a diet, nor did he think about the number of pounds he had to lose. He...well, you should really read the article. The before and after photos alone are worth it.

Keep up the good work, Governor Mike. You're an inspiration to all of us