Losing Weight One Meter At A Time

In the ongoing war with the scale, we measure our successes and failures in a variety of ways. We look at our changing waist sizes, the number of pounds gained or lost, the calories consumed or the diet plans, programs or pills that we have attempted with inconsistent results. Most of these measures involve some numeric standard—pounds, inches, sizes, distances or time frames.

In my personal journey, however, I have to measure my success by the meter!
Before I underwent gastric bypass surgery in November 2003, I had difficulty walking for even short distances, due to compromised breathing, chest pain and severe lower back difficulty. Everything I attempted was measured by the distance required. How far did I have to walk from the parking spot to the door of that house, restaurant, theater or store? How far from that chair to the restroom? How many steps or stairs to that next meeting? How long was that airport security line?

In my life as a special education administrator and consultant, as well as a professional actor and singer, many of my responsibilities depended upon those answers. I often had to walk from various theaters, offices or schools in New York City to the nearest parking lot, and even that proved to be a task of Herculean proportions. I began to play a little game with myself: could I get past a few parking meters without having to stop and rest due to unbearable pain? On my few “good days,” I could make it past three or four parking meters; on bad days I was happy to make it to one....click here to read more.

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