How Many Points?
Sandy Powers
September 19, 2011
I was not looking forward to it. "It" being my yearly health check-up. I vaguely remember last year my doctor mentioned something about "losing weight." I´ve been busy with writing and book signings and family that the "mention" just slipped my mind. But as I shifted in the waiting room chair to straighten the elastic waist band on my skirt, I remembered.
"Mrs. Powers," called the nurse.
"Yes!" I answered, springing to my feet. Heck, I can still spring.
The nurse pointed to the scale as we entered the examining room. I removed my shoes, stepped on the scale, turned my head and closed my eyes. I never weigh myself. The only time I ever get weighed is in the doctor´s office. I heard the movement of weights on the scale and hoped it was because of the person before me.
"Ok," the nurse signaled. "You can put your shoes back on."
I opened my eyes with my head still turned, picked up my shoes, and headed for the chair. After checking my blood pressure, the nurse smiled as she left the room, "Doctor will be in shortly."
"Shortly" came sooner than expected. The nurse barely got the door closed when it opened again.
"Good morning, Mrs. Powers," Dr. Reid smiled as he sat down to read my chart. "Yearly check-up? How´s everything?"
"Yes," I answered to the first and, "Fine! Fine!" to the second.
He glanced up. One too many "fines." He focused again on my chart, then announced, "I see you weigh eight pounds more than your last check-up and seven pounds more than the one before. Also, your blood pressure is higher…………"
I won´t go into any more details but "we" agreed to lose weight. After arriving home, I called my daughter who is the diet expert.
"Hi, Kayle," I began. "I have to lose weight. Advise."
Short and sweet--as any good expert should be---"Try the new point system."
A few days later armed with a "getting started book," a point calculator, and eight new recipes, I was ready to begin. My husband, Mike, decided to go on this point system, too, mainly, I believe, to keep me honest. The first weeks the point calculator became our main source of communication: how many points? Perhaps we were overdoing a bit because when I handed my six-year-old grandson a peanut and butter sandwich, he gazed up at me and asked, "How many points?"
Progress Report: Ten weeks and Seven pounds later: I still have another Eight pounds to go. Why is it so easy to gain and so tough to lose?
"Mrs. Powers," called the nurse.
"Yes!" I answered, springing to my feet. Heck, I can still spring.
The nurse pointed to the scale as we entered the examining room. I removed my shoes, stepped on the scale, turned my head and closed my eyes. I never weigh myself. The only time I ever get weighed is in the doctor´s office. I heard the movement of weights on the scale and hoped it was because of the person before me.
"Ok," the nurse signaled. "You can put your shoes back on."
I opened my eyes with my head still turned, picked up my shoes, and headed for the chair. After checking my blood pressure, the nurse smiled as she left the room, "Doctor will be in shortly."
"Shortly" came sooner than expected. The nurse barely got the door closed when it opened again.
"Good morning, Mrs. Powers," Dr. Reid smiled as he sat down to read my chart. "Yearly check-up? How´s everything?"
"Yes," I answered to the first and, "Fine! Fine!" to the second.
He glanced up. One too many "fines." He focused again on my chart, then announced, "I see you weigh eight pounds more than your last check-up and seven pounds more than the one before. Also, your blood pressure is higher…………"
I won´t go into any more details but "we" agreed to lose weight. After arriving home, I called my daughter who is the diet expert.
"Hi, Kayle," I began. "I have to lose weight. Advise."
Short and sweet--as any good expert should be---"Try the new point system."
A few days later armed with a "getting started book," a point calculator, and eight new recipes, I was ready to begin. My husband, Mike, decided to go on this point system, too, mainly, I believe, to keep me honest. The first weeks the point calculator became our main source of communication: how many points? Perhaps we were overdoing a bit because when I handed my six-year-old grandson a peanut and butter sandwich, he gazed up at me and asked, "How many points?"
Progress Report: Ten weeks and Seven pounds later: I still have another Eight pounds to go. Why is it so easy to gain and so tough to lose?
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