My secret fat

Today I got a warning in my e-mail, and an offer to buy a book promoting the secret to weight loss, telling me that we’re getting fat because of “MSG and other excitotoxins.” That’s not my problem, but I'm sure it will sell some books. This morning I stepped on the scale and it announced the bad, bad news. Since our trip to Italy this summer (6 months ago) I’ve put on 10 lbs. And that’s why my favorite, all wool, beautifully made, brown tweed Pendleton pants suit doesn’t fit as cold weather slips into Ohio. Now, there may be MSG in my food, but my problem is MGS, not MSG. More Gratuitous Snacking. Boxes of crackers have mysteriously made their way into my grocery cart, as have blocks of sharp cheddar cheese. I discovered an oreo cookie knock-off made with peanut butter for the filling. Three or four of those in the middle of the afternoon have given me just the MGS lift I needed. And let’s not forget my healthy breakfast of a sliced apple and ¼ cup of walnuts. The ¼ cup has grown to ¾ cup. And where in the world did those huge asiago bagels come from that I individually packaged and froze? They sure knocked out some plans to eat only 3 or 4 vegetables for lunch.

No, buying a book of diet secrets won’t be part of my plan.

Backstory: In September 2006 upon returning from my sister-in-law's wedding in California, I determined to lose 20 lbs by February 1, 2007 and I did. In the processes of giving up some favorite things (see my Thursday Thirteen), I also stopped snoring, had fewer back strains, and fewer colds (although that may be a coincidence). Just to make the personal political, let me remind you that the billions of dollars of your tax money the federal government is currently spending on programs and research to get the overweight poor and low-income quintiles to change their diets are destined to enrich only the USDA and HHS government workers if my experience changing my own habits and tastes is anecdotal evidence worth noting.