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In a Strange Land
The Real Skinny
By Larry J. Pitman
 Exactly two years ago we arrived in Peru. Moving to another country is a huge undertaking both physically and emotionally. It also represents an unique opportunity to change some things in your life. It is a second chance to do it better.
I am a determined goal setter, and the move to Peru caused me to think a lot about what I wanted to achieve in our first year. There were the family goals of getting settled, of course, but I also had two personal goals. One was to learn Spanish as well as I possibly could. That is a goal that I have worked hard on, but will continue to work on for the rest of my life.
The other goal is the one I want to discuss today. First, some background. For many years my weight had been creeping upward. My goal was always to get back down to where it should be, but that never happened. Even my marriage to a highly skilled dietitian and wonderful cook did not stop the upward trend.
OK I will confess. I was a skilled cheater. My desk in my office was loaded with bags of chips, pretzels and all sorts of candy. So was my car. When that voracious snacking was not enough, I could be seen slipping into the nearest In and Out Burger, a favorite fast food restaurant in California. I felt guilty, but that did not change my behavior. It was a disconnect between the goal I had and my behavior.
When I arrived in Lima in 2005, I weighed 250 pounds. I now know that I was on the edge of some serious health problems. Then, lots of things changed in my life. I was no longer sitting in my office, worrying about my business, and trying to make myself feel better by dosing on carbos. I did no snacking. Instead, I enjoyed the wonderful meals that were prepared for me at home. I also followed the Peruvian tradition of just having tea and some bread at night.
After one look at the traffic in Lima, I decided that I was going to walk most places. I got to know our wonderful neighborhood and found that most things could be purchased within walking distance. Our car started gathering dust.
I never weighed myself, but I began to feel that my pants were getting looser. It was gradual, maybe one or two pounds a week, but before long, my wife had to look for someone to take in my pants as they were getting baggy. I had more energy and felt better than I had for years. Before, while living in California, it seemed that I was always hungry. Now I was satisfied.
Well, now I can brag. In two years, I have dropped over 50 pounds. The other day, we went to buy pants, and I learned that I had gone down almost six sizes.
This is my point. It was not difficult. It was not painful. In fact I ate well, never suffered one moment of deprivation and had a great time walking my neighborhood.
Extreme diets or physical exercise regimes did not enter into this. For that reason, I feel confident that the changes I have made in my life are easy to continue.
So this is my completely unprofessional recommendation. If you are overweight, be gentle with yourself. Make the changes you need, but don't be a martyr because that doesn't work. Actually, it is better to gradually slide into your new life-style without thinking about it too much. Then, one day, without really making much effort, you, too, will find that your pants are getting looser.
For 2007 I wish you health and happiness.
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