Brett looked at the calendar for the new year and did the math in his head. If he wanted to lose 50 pounds by his 50th high school reunion that summer, he was going to have to lose two pounds a week for six months.
Brett really wanted to look good for his former classmates. He imagined every eye at the reunion on him and everyone buzzing about his physique. He hoped to make the women regretful and the men envious.
But how to lose so much weight so fast?
Brett was afraid of needles, so the new weight-loss drugs weren’t an option.
So he decided to do it the old-fashioned way with diet and exercise. He ramped up his running and limited himself to 1,500 calories a day.
And the weight began to come off. At first, Brett lost even more than two pounds a week. But then his weight loss slowed, so he cut his daily calorie intake to 1,000.
For years, Brett had taken a nap every day. Now he was so tired he began taking two or even three naps a day. He also felt lightheaded a lot, and he was hungry all the time.
But he was determined to reach his goal. You can drive through McDonalds after the reunion, he told himself.
As hard as it was, Brett stayed on-track, and he got thinner and thinner. When he’d lost 40 pounds, he updated his wardrobe, including a new suit for the reunion. For the first time in years, he dressed sharp. Now when he went out, he even turned a few heads.
Brett was thrilled when he reached his weight-loss goal a week before the reunion. But a few days later, while running, he collapsed and died. Heart failure and malnutrition, the medical examiner wrote.
His former classmates decided to postpone their reunion so they could attend Brett’s funeral. At the visitation, he was laid out in an open casket. The funeral home had dressed him in his new suit.
Looking down at the corpse, one of his old girlfriends shook her head and said, “He sure looks good.”
“And so fit,” said the school’s former star quarterback.
Brett really wanted to look good for his former classmates. He imagined every eye at the reunion on him and everyone buzzing about his physique. He hoped to make the women regretful and the men envious.
But how to lose so much weight so fast?
Brett was afraid of needles, so the new weight-loss drugs weren’t an option.
So he decided to do it the old-fashioned way with diet and exercise. He ramped up his running and limited himself to 1,500 calories a day.
And the weight began to come off. At first, Brett lost even more than two pounds a week. But then his weight loss slowed, so he cut his daily calorie intake to 1,000.
For years, Brett had taken a nap every day. Now he was so tired he began taking two or even three naps a day. He also felt lightheaded a lot, and he was hungry all the time.
But he was determined to reach his goal. You can drive through McDonalds after the reunion, he told himself.
As hard as it was, Brett stayed on-track, and he got thinner and thinner. When he’d lost 40 pounds, he updated his wardrobe, including a new suit for the reunion. For the first time in years, he dressed sharp. Now when he went out, he even turned a few heads.
Brett was thrilled when he reached his weight-loss goal a week before the reunion. But a few days later, while running, he collapsed and died. Heart failure and malnutrition, the medical examiner wrote.
His former classmates decided to postpone their reunion so they could attend Brett’s funeral. At the visitation, he was laid out in an open casket. The funeral home had dressed him in his new suit.
Looking down at the corpse, one of his old girlfriends shook her head and said, “He sure looks good.”
“And so fit,” said the school’s former star quarterback.
