Barbara’s Vest

Back in March Barbara gave me a button-up vest for my 65th birthday. The label said ‘large’, but it was far too small for my extra-large torso, so I thought it would be a better fit for Vish, Barbara’s husband, and suggested she gave it to him. She demurred, however, and told me that I was going to lose weight until it was the right size for me.

Thinking I would wait a while before putting it out for the Diabetes Society (I had no plans to go on a diet), I put the vest in my bedroom cupboard where it remained all summer. Then, when the weather turned chilly last week, I tried it on again, and, mirabile dictu, it fit — not perfectly, but well enough to look half-decent. And this is a lot better than most of my other clothes look on my newly slimmed-down frame.

The advantages of losing weight for an obese man are considerable. Leaving aside the health benefits, it is good to be able able to cross your legs again. You can even see what you’re doing when you’re standing at the urinal. Perhaps ill-fitting clothes count for little when you think about what is to be gained from shedding a few pounds, but replacing and altering them represent, along with the better food I am buying, a significant expense. I wish I hadn’t thrown out all the clothes from the 80s that would fit me again now. They might even be back in fashion.

All in all, I am a pleased that I can wear Barabara’s vest now. When I weighed myself yesterday morning I was surprised to see the scale stop at 216.5 lb. (It is a fairly accurate scale, by the way.) When I was living in England four years ago, I bulked up to well over 20 stone (280 lb), which wouldn’t even register on the scale I bought over there. I quickly got back to my usual 260 lb (or thereabouts) once I returned to Canada, and that’s about what I weighed when I had my birthday party in March, and had the serious chat with my doctor in June.

I really don’t think I was wrong to celebrate last night with a burger and fries (sweet potato, of course), although it may be a day or two now before I’ll feel as comfortable wearing Barabara’s gift again. After that, I’d like to be able to get into my ancient ‘Old Royals’ sweater that my years as a master at Bearwood College entitle me to wear.

You could say that I have a vested interest in getting back into shape.