Diabetes and Suits

Well, it turns out that the diet and exercise has paid off.

Last Monday I went to the doctor’s office to get some bloodwork done to check on my diabetes…and it turns out that I don’t have diabetes any more. After all the work I put into getting in shape, I was half expecting them to say I didn’t need meds anymore and could control it with diet and exercise… but this was way better than expected.

I can actually have orange juice with breakfast now! I bloody love orange juice but had to avoid it like the plague because it was so high in fructose.

Anyway, I don’t think the ‘all clear’ will actually change many of my habits. One of the things about having diabetes is that you get a crash course in just how much sugar and calories is in everything. Just by swapping regular soda for diet and swapping sugar for splenda in tea and coffee, I managed to cut nearly 700 calories from my daily intake.

Yes, I no longer have diabetes…but I’m still a bit of a fat bastard.

In fact, I absolutely fucking hate my body shape.

Shortly after getting back to the UK, I went to buy a suit for job interviews, etc… and quickly discovered nothing ‘off the peg’ would fit me… and not just because I’m a bit fat.

For example, to get a suit jacket that fits my shoulders and arms, I had to special order a jacket to fit a 52” chest (the largest size most stores stock is 48”)… but while that fits my shoulders and arms perfectly, the ‘gut’ of the jacket is just way too big. Put simply, it turns out that people who make suits expect people with 52” chests to have at least 50” waists.

The trousers aren’t that easy to get either. I essentially have a choice: I can buy a pair of pants that are way too tight around my legs but fit my waist perfectly…or trousers that fit my legs perfectly, but are about 4” too big around the waist.

Long story short, no matter what I do, I always look like a kid who borrowed his dad’s suit.

Oh well, at least I can drink orange juice again.