If you’re a regular reader, then you know that Matchmaker Logistics has been celebrating the Superheroes of Shipping in 2014. Earlier this year, we all got to chose our own superhero avatars, and I selected Ironman. That would be Ironman, the cool exec with a heart of steel who fights for justice, not IRONMAN, the triathlete. For those of you who don’t know, an IRONMAN triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a 26.2-mile marathon run, raced in that order and without a break. Ummm….no thank you.
Last week, at the NASTC annual conference, I posed in my Ironman costume for pictures at our photo booth with drivers and other industry professionals. My colleague, Pam Pickral, was Wonder Woman. We had a great time at our booth, giving out Super Cookies, Power Water, and our legendary Matchmaker boxers (because we all know superheroes love their underwear.) Here we are showing off one of the Drivers of the Year, Gary Peterson, in his boxers. His sister, Mary Peterson Norton, was the NASTC Female Driver of the Year, and she also got her own pair of boxers. Clearly commitment to excellence, a love for being on the road, and great taste in underwear all run in the family!
For a host of reasons, including being able to fit into my Ironman costume before NASTC, I decided to go on a diet. Now, I know I’ll never get down to my original weight, and I’m okay with that. After all 8 lbs, 5 oz is just not realistic. But, I do want to shed a few pounds I so can feel healthier and more energetic. So, I talked to my doctor who prescribed an appetite suppressant. It’s working. I’m seldom hungry and I’ve already lost thirteen pounds. For me, this is a miracle. I’ve always gained weight so easily that even food for thought goes straight to my thighs. In fact, the same thirty pounds has come and gone so often I swear that my cellulite must have déjà vu!
They say that when you go on a diet, the first thing you lose is your sense of humor. When I went for my one month follow-up appointment, even my doctor asked if I had been irritable. I replied: “Honey! I was irritable long before I went on this diet!” My husband agrees that I’m actually less moody now than before I started losing weight. But, you know what would make me irritable? A 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a 26.2-mile marathon run without a break. Then, my sense of humor would go right out the window.
It seems, however, that the folks who organize IRONMAN do somehow manage to maintain their sense of humor, or at least IRON-y. Worthy of an Onion article, but absolutely true, this year, Little Debbie Snacks was the title sponsor of the IRONMAN Chattanooga.
Can you even imagine? I guess the message is that if Little Debbie wants to avoid becoming Big Deborah, she needs to train for an IRONMAN! Intrigued, I did a little research and learned that there is actually a Little Debbie Snack Cake Diet–Oatmeal Creme Pies for breakfast, Fudge Rounds for lunch and Swiss Rolls for dinner! It sounds incredibly delicious, but since my goal is health, I’m steering clear of that kind of diet. As the old adage goes, “You are what you eat.” In that case, I’d like a skinny triathlete for lunch, please.
What about you? Have you ever been on a fad diet? Did it work? Send me your words of wisdom to give me strength as I try to steer clear of sweets this holiday season…
Happy Monday,
Mary
