The Weight-Gain, Weight-Loss Experiment

This morning was the first time I had gotten on a scale in 12 days. I knew that there was no way I had not gained weight in Africa. Try as I did not to eat all that I was offered, the food was often, plenty and plenty good. To give you an idea of what I was up against this was a typical day while at a Safari camp.

5:30 AM -Be woken up by a guide bringing a tray of coffee and fruit and nut rusks (think tasty biscotti) to our tent or cottage.

8:30- Game drive stop for morning coffee and another yummy coffee treat out in the bush

10:00 – Breakfast that consisted of a table of cold treats, yogurt, fresh fruit, muffins, cheese, meats, cereal, juices, on and on. Then hot breakfast, eggs, meats, vegetables, toast, oatmeal, and on and on and on again. More coffee or tea or cocoa.

1:30 – Lunch- really the healthiest meal – salads, sandwiches or wraps or savory tarts, fruit and cheese. No dessert because that will come at teatime.

3:30- Tea with something sweet and naughty and fruit for the sinless among us.

6:00- Sundowners while on a game drive- adult beverages and hors d’oeuvres

7:00 – Dinner of many types of meat, double starches like potatoes and rice and many vegetables, a green salad and dessert.

Fall into bed at 9:30.

No real exercise because we can’t go out in the bush on foot. In one camp we did do a morning bush walk back to camp after our outdoor breakfast. Our great guide Forman would bring the riffle with these big ass bullets the size of hotdogs to protect us. We never walked very fast because he was teaching us stuff as we went along. One day we had a large heard of elephants near by during our walk so we had to quietly pick up the pace and get the hell out of there. That was the most exercise I got all trip.

All our food and drinks were included in our room rates so there was no reason to say skip a meal to save money. You know I also like to get my monies worth.

The day of reckoning came this morning. I got on the scale. I was prepared for a five-pound rise, but was pleasantly surprised that I had only gained 2.5 pounds.

I have a theory that newly gained weight comes off much faster than lbs that have been hanging around for a few years or decades. According to my copious records it took me about six weeks to loose the same amount of weight I gained in two weeks, but those pounds had been with me for six years at least. The experiment that this African vacation affords me is to see how fast I can lose these fast put on pounds. I need to lose them at the very least before I leave for my next vacation to Family Camp in Maine in three weeks since others will be preparing and serving me food that is outside my regular healthy range. I am hoping I can do it in less time than that. I will report the news as soon as there is any.

So now it’s back to puritanical eating and regular exercise and walking, walking, walking. My hips hurt from all the sitting I did and my muscles are tight, but I must admit I really miss the coffee tray in bed.