Guy's Eye View
What men can teach women about dieting.
DAVID KUSHNER
Special to The Jewish News
7
his past year, I lived every
woman's fantasy; I lost 20
pounds.
Although none of my
guy friends seemed to care or even
notice, all my female friends were
ecstatic. They had to know how I did
it: Was it Slim Fast? Deal-A-Meal? I
told them I didn't really know what I
did. It seemed to just happen.
But they wouldn't accept that as an
answer and threatened to beat another
20 pounds out of me if I didn't tell
them. So, after due consideration, I now
offer a peek into the tactical way that
most of us dudes deal with our weight.
I'm not saying we're perfect, but perhaps
women could use diet tips from a guy.
shimmering tub o' flab, ain't I?" And
that was it; no second, third, or 45
opinions, just a heavy moment of
objectivity (my image on TV), a con-
firmation (my friend's knowing snick-
er), and the gentle voice of my inner
blimp ("hey, hey, hey, it's
Faaaaaaaaaaat David!").
1. Accept Your Blubber
Am I fat? For women, these three
little words carry so much weight, the
question has become a cliche. Even so,
they keep asking and asking and ask-
ing. It's as if someone else's eyes are
more objective than their own. Or
maybe they're just avoiding the
inevitable.
Support groups preach that the first
step towards recovery is acceptance.
For guys, that means accepting our
blubber.
One day, I took a long look at
myself on a home video one day and
said to my friend, "Oh man, I'm a
Financial Tip
Of The Month
LISA LONDON
Special to The Jewish News
,r
erm insurance can be the
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70
2. Get Real
Of course, once a woman accepts
her blubber, she doesn't just want to
lose some of her weight, she wants to
lose all of it. Stomach. Butt. Skin.
Bones. She ends up comparing herself
to models and actresses.
Meanwhile, most guys don't even
like the waif look; we want someone
we can hold on to and not break.
Including ourselves. In my case, that
meant realizing that I didn't have to
look like the lead singer of Bush, I just
needed to be a healthier version of me.
As soon as I made my goals more
realistic, all I had to do was figure out
to get there.
3. Take Charge
Whenever any of my girlfriends
tried to lose weight, they would get
drastic, but in a strangely passive way.
One afternoon, they'd come over with
a stack of diet magazines and super-
market checkout-line booklets; the
next they'd be starting a three-day fast.
The only time guys cram, however,
is during finals and the only time we
fast is on Yom Kippur.
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Instead, we take a more active
approach: we don't read or starve, we
sweat.
Joining a gym was one thing, I real-
ized, but, more importantly, I had to
go. Regularly. Three times a week.
So flex your commitment skills,
and don't complain about not having
enough time; wake up early, stay up
late, go at lunch, skip the movie, just
make sure you're running like a ham-
ster every other day. If not, don't com-
plain and start loving your love han-
dles.
4. Choose Your Obsessions
Another reason women have prob-
lems losing weight is because they
obsess about the eating, not the exer-
cise. They starve to pig out and vice
versa. It's like everything's a bargain:
"Well," one of my girlfriends used to
say, "I worked out yesterday, so today
I can inhale this platter of eclairs."
Guys, on the other hand, love
to make deals and stick to them.
Maybe it's some kind of macho thing,
but, hey, it works. After two hours at
the gym, the last thing I want to do is
blow it with a burger. And the more
my body gets into shape, the worse it
feels if I pour sugary, greasy food
down my drain. It's not even a matter
of will power, it's a matter of indiges-
tion. Bon Appetit!
That's it. The proof is in the pud-
ding, namely, mine. Since I saw myself
on that video last year, I've slimmed
down enough to squeeze into my old
Rush jerseys from high school. My
energy's up, my head's clear.
If you want to do the same, just
follow the four easy steps. With a little
dedication, you'll be as shallow and
insensitive as us guys in no time.
❑
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Estimate how much insurance you
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to discuss how you can obtain the
insurance protection you and your
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Lisa London, CFP, is Vice President -
Investments for Salomon Smith Barney
in Southfield. Salomon Smith Barney
does not provide tax or legal advice.
Please consult your tax and/or legal
advisor for such guidance. This infor-
mation is not necessarily the opinion of
The Jewish News.
HAPPENINGS
Pickup Softball
B'nai B'rith Leadership
Network presents its second
season of pickup softball.
Schedule:
• July 26, Aug. 9, Aug. 23 at
Pioneer Park
• July 12 at North Farmington
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• All games begin at 11 a.m.
Karen-Safran, (248) 426-9520.
Register now!
Jewish Professional Singles
trip to Toronto, July 17-19.
Cost: $197 per person, double;
$307, single. Lisa Boose,
(248) 353-5811.
Sunday, July 12
Summer birthday dinner party,
Jewish Professional Singles. 7 p.m.
Cost: $8. Cindy, (248) 542-9166.
Wednesday, July 15
Coffee and conversation, Jewish
Professional Singles. 7:30 p.m. At
Birmingham Borders. David,
(248) 398-9370.
Thursday, July 16
Night at the races with Temple
Israel's Singles Extension Group.
6 p.m. RSVP by July 10 to (248)
669-1157 or (248) 682-7232.
Jazz and picnic, Jewish
Professional Singles. 6:15 p.m. At
Shain Park, Birmingham. Michele,
(248) 546-4961.
Saturday, July 18
Dinner and movie night, Jewish
Professional Singles. David, (248)
398-9370.
Sunday, July 19
Help build/renovate a home with
the Think Twice Foundation and
Hillel of Metro Detroit. 8:30 a.m.,
Oak Park JCC. RSVP by July 13,
(313) 577-3459.
Sunday, July 26
Cedar Point trip with B'nai B'rith
Leadership Network. Meet at
B'nai B'rith office, 31600 W. 13
Mile Road, at 8:30 a.m. Cost: $27
members, $30 non-members.
RSVP by July 23, Jeff and Deb
Cymerint, (248) 478-8338.