A chubby guy's mind at work

Lawrence Toppman

I saw a man my age, maybe a little older (perhaps 60) in Harris-Teeter Sunday. He was wearing a muscle-T and tight pants and looked trim and hearty, though grizzled. If you have never been overweight, perhaps you'd be curious to know the thoughts that run through the brain of someone who has. They go like this:

"Man, if I were 60, I'd dress my age. Even if I were fit, I wouldn't flaunt it."

"Hmmm...he keeps in shape physically. But does he do the same mentally? Hey, skinny dude, come over here and talk to me about metaphysics."

"Who knows? He's probably miserable in some other way. Maybe his wife doesn't love him any more."

And lastly, "Better not buy any of those individual servings of ice cream this week."

Yes, I went through the shades of envy from denial to competitiveness to false rationalization to the only healthy outcome: a desire to improve myself. Not pretty, but there it is. Mental changes have to accompany the physical ones, and they'll undoubtedly take longer.