psst. 6" is enough to stop the world from turning, if you live here.

of all the things my family could truly worry about in regards to my well-being, all they focus on is my weight.

My cousin who died was quite slender, so I'm saving that card in my back pocket should I need to play it.

I'm still much more heavily (no pun intended) inclined to believe that weight is a marker but not a cause, as in, some people's excess weight is indeed due to lack of physical activity, but it's the lack of physical activity that's the real killer. The weight is just a marker. That's why some skinny people (like my cousin) have heart attacks and die. t edit Also why I'm going to exercise in a little bit.

I haven't seen a lot of research explaining what properties adipose tissue has that make it deadly. I'm willing to change my mind, but I'm super into evidence-based medicine.

I know, I know. That's why you should only get the couple of inches and we can have the couple of feet!

psst. 6" is enough to stop the world from turning, if you live here.

Ahahahahaha. Try 2" and welcome to Cincinnati.

Banana and cottage cheese covers a lot of recommendations, good call.

"I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION."

I somehow want the response to this to involve an offer of gum.

Oh, now they are saying only 3" here. OK, that's no problem at all.

I was in DC for the big storm in January 1996, and not only was I off work for a full week, my street was never ever plowed.

Banana and cottage cheese covers a lot of recommendations, good call.

I sort of want a pile of meat, though. There's a good mediterranean place in our neighborhood with excellent lamb shawarma. I have to get it on a plate, not as a wrap, but that's okay, because it means PILE O' MEAT. Also hummus and saffron rice.

Man, maybe I'm just super hungry in general.

I figure if you want a big pile of meat, probably that's what you need. I'm really only recommending electrolytes because I am craving salty stuff and if I'm cold you should put on a sweater.

Ooh, the new place down the street has shawarma, I need to try it. They aren't taking part in Restaurant Week, though, so it will probably have to wait. Although these couple of days of nausea are diminishing my enthusiasm for Restaurant Week, alas.

I agree with you 100%, Steph. I don't think being heavily overweight is ideal, for several reasons (my back and my hips would like a word, and my boobs are sullen), but I don't think fat is itself murderous. It's a marker.

I'm really only recommending electrolytes because I am craving salty stuff

I've eaten like an entire bag of potato chips - maybe two - in the last three days. All I want is salt and potatoes. And yet I've lost weight. I dunno. My doctor, who is very focused on BP, is baffled by my backwards responses to diuretics and salt. "It's not supposed to work like that," he says dubiously. "You're an alien."

shawarma

I've never had shawarma. I should do that.