Limits - Intertwingled: Information Changes Everything - page 104

I know people can change, because I've changed myself. A decade ago while in my early 30's I
was diagnosed with high cholesterol. My doctor told me to change my habits or take medica-
tion. I did neither. Instead, I just got depressed. As a kid, soccer was my first love, but I was too
old for that now. I was a workaholic dad with kids. I didn't have the time for exercise or the dis-
cipline to eat well. I was 35 lbs overweight and counting. The evidence suggested I'd continue
adding weight as I endured middle age. I was unhappy, but what could I do? I had no strategy,
no goal, and no sense of control.
I may not have escaped this state of learned helplessness if it wasn't for a giant plate of spaghetti
and meatballs. My wife and I had invited a friend over for dinner. Andrew was a tall, muscular,
twenty-something British rugby player. I'll never forget his look of shock when Susan handed
him a plate. After a bit of gentle prodding, he confessed that he was surprised by its size. And,
while Susan and I ate all our pasta, plus a few slices of garlic bread, to our chagrin Andrew ate
only a third of his. Still, nothing changed, until a few months later when Susan stumbled upon
an article that explained people eat less if they use smaller plates. The next day, our giant plates
moved to the basement, and we began to eat dinner on dessert plates. For a while, we'd go back
for seconds, but soon we simply ate less. It was our first tiny step on the road to health.
Figure 5-4. Context shapes behavior.
My sister-in-law inspired me to take the next step. She was in town for a half-marathon and ca-
joled me into a 5K. I did well for a couch potato, so she told me to try a ten-miler. I was scared of
the distance but signed up for the race. The first weeks of training were hard. I felt I'd die in the
heat. And my skin chafed horribly until I learned not to run in boxer shorts. But after a month I
began to enjoy myself. I felt healthy in mind and body. I had reestablished my sense of control.
After that ten-miler, there was no turning back. I ran more half-marathons and a couple of mara-
thons before shifting to triathlons for the long haul. I lost that 35 pounds. I sleep well and feel
great. I've rediscovered the energy of that crazy kid who could play soccer all day long. But my
journey hasn't only been physical. I've learned a lot about diet and exercise, but I've also become