Hole in One

This post is dedicated to my dad, because yesterday, he got his first hole-in-one playing golf. On a real course, not miniature golf... 167 yards! I imagine that must have felt great, and if you know my dad, you know he is SO competitive, and was probably quick to rub it in the other 3 guys faces. It is also well deserved, as over the last year he has lost upwards of 70 pounds.

In my previous post I mentioned watching my both my parents go through phases of losing a lot of weight, only to gain it back eventually (which makes them part of the 95% people who gain weight back after losing it). My dad was always capable of losing weight so fast. He would just all of a sudden be insane about eating healthy, eating less, and exercise. He has been an athlete his whole life, so typically his weight loss was centered around being able to perform better at the activities he was engaged in at the time (running races, tennis matches, hiking half-dome, etc.) Eventually, the weight would come back, and the process would start again.

I saw my dad twice last year, I saw him at Christmas (2008), and then again in May of 2009. When I saw my dad in May, he had lost 40 pounds since I had seen him at Christmas. He was definitely in one of the modes I had seen many times throughout my life. In contrast, I was at probably the highest weight he had ever seen me, and I could just see the pain on his face. I caught him one time looking at me and shaking his head in disgust, but he doesn't know I saw him.

He continued to lose weight, and would update me through our infrequent phone calls. He can't run anymore because of a skiing accident 15 years ago, and can't play tennis now due to some new arthritis in his foot. He has been mountain biking on Mount Tamalpais (the actual origin of mountain biking) and informs me that he's kicking guys asses that are 1/2 his age (competitive, I told you).

I see so many similarities between my dad and myself. I am very competitive like him. I took to running, like him. I like clothes shopping almost as much as him. I too am capable of going on "kicks" and being insane about eating less and exercising. He is a very large part of my motivation today, for all he accomplished last year, and all he continues to accomplish as a 63 year old mountain biking, hole-in-one golfer.

I have a feeling this time is different for him. The weight is not going to come back as it had all those other times. He likes clothes shopping way too much. And realizes he's getting too old to be carrying around 70 extra pounds.

I want this time to be different for me too. I want the next time I see my dad for him to notice how hard I've been working to be his little girl again. If he can do it, I certainly can. Thanks dad!