Photo by Laurent Reich
There are some weird rest stops and roadside attractions on the journey toward healthier living. Sure, there are the obvious mile markers as the number on the scale moves in the desired direction. The big milestones are also fairly easy to see coming – the stuff you’re picking up gets more cumbersome, or your time to cover a certain amount of distance drops. Good, old-fashioned Force=Mass x Acceleration level stuff.
But the side effects – the subtler things that sneak up on us – those can be pretty cool, too. Maybe they were something you had in the back of your mind all along. An example could be a favorite pair of pants that you used to love but got less comfortable wearing that you discover during a cleaning binge – and they fit again. Perhaps you catch up with friends or family you don’t see often, and they do a surprised double-take. You might need to punch another hole in your belt – or get a new one altogether.
Still, those sights on your journey are kind of to be expected, like home-grown produce stands or exhortations to visit a local purveyor of kitsch.
The really funky stuff; when your rings or even your shoes get loose – those are the achievements that are a surprise to unlock. Even if none of them are likely to be nearly as wild as a thirty-foot dude holding a rocket like the roadtrip icon above.
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My favorite: Getting cold.
I remember a comedian was once ranting about skiing. He was black, and joking about how cold it was, and how there are no other black people on the slopes. And, he said, as he arrived at the lodge, finally, with num apendages, there was a fat white guy standing outside . . . in a T-Shirt . . . sweating.
That was me. I was always warm. Usually hot. But, when I dropped about 20-30 lbs, I can now feel cold. Blubber works. Without it, I can comfortably wear an undershirt. In the winter, I can wear a sweater. I’m . . . . actually . . . normal.
Very cool, unexpected side effect.