text: I totally love smoked brisket and would be lying if I said I didn’t. Days before, I have to trim it, make a rub for it and prepare it. Then, hours of making a mop sauce for it, plus hours of prepping the smoker, tending the heat, soaking wood, adding wood, mopping the meat, etc. It is literally a labor of love. If I had to give this up forever, I just don’t know if I could continue my OPTIFAST journey.
  But I don’t have to give it up. Whether it is a steaming bowl of ramen or some thin slices of brisket, I can embrace my love for food. In fact, because I need to make sure that I am balancing my intake, it makes those special meals that much more special.
  With a sensible diet of moderation and occasional restraint, an increase in physical activity and a complete break from using food as a coping mechanism when I am overwhelmed, I imagine I can enjoy food more than I ever have. The key is breaking that habit of abusing food instead of enjoying it.
  I have told myself (and others) that I was generally happy being fat. Truthfully though, I can look back and see that I was happy being thinner, also. And I could so much more physically!
  This is me about seven years ago. I weighed around 265 pounds here. Not skinny by any stretch. But did you notice what I’m doing? I was going to a convention with a good friend of mine, having a great day and then flying us back from western Pennsylvania at night. It was a day I treasure. I got to show my friend what it is like to fly in low over the city of Cleveland and marvel at the lights as we landed at Burke Lakefront Airport.
  This is me a little over 10 years ago. I weighed around 225 here. What an awesome day! It was my sister’s wedding, and my son was in his first tux!