Author: Randall Reeder

Weekly Comments: Random News: Jeans, Jobs, Russia, and Food for Gaza

#1270    Aug. 3, 2025

COLUMBUS, OHIO: Catching up on News this week. Congress adjourned for their August recess (vacation?) which removes one source of frivolous news.

President Trump announced a rebirth of the Presidential Fitness Test for students. I suggest he extend it to adults. Continuing with muscle building exercises and weight control has many benefits. One we seldom think about: if I’m in good physical shape I’ll be in much better condition to survive major surgery or illness and recover quicker. And more likely to avoid knee or hip replacement.

Meanwhile, an attractive young woman in excellent shape appeared in an ad promoting denim jeans. Critics jumped on Sydney Sweeney because she credits her “genes” with helping her look great in “jeans.” Where were these critics when Gloria Vanderbilt invented and modeled “designer jeans” fifty years ago? Beyonce, Brooke Shields, and other beautiful women with good genes have helped sell billions of pairs of over-priced denim. Not to brag, but I get my favorite “Rustler” denim jeans at Walmart for $25. So far, no one has criticized my choice in fashion.

Speaking of critics, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is being criticized for publishing inaccurate jobs numbers each month. The numbers are typically off by 40%. A former official defended the statistics, saying that teams of “hundreds” compile the monthly data. Here’s a suggestion for the President: fire the entire department. Bad data is worse than no data. Stop announcing a monthly jobs number that is a wild guess.

In a similar vein of inaccurate information, we’re just now learning the source of the fake Trump-Putin love affair story that partially derailed the first Trump Administration. Our top intelligence officials (Comey, Brennan, Clapper) and Democrats on the House Intelligence committee constantly spouted off about the Russians providing votes to Trump that helped him defeat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Even John Durham’s multi-million-dollar investigation could not get access to secret messages between these top officials and Clinton.

You might wonder, why didn’t investigative journalists with the “mass media” dig into the details of the “Steele Dossier” and determine the logic of Putin’s opposition to Clinton. The simple answer is they all wanted Clinton to win. In Weekly Comments, I brought up an economic fact: Russia depends on crude oil sales for a major part of gross income. Would Putin prefer a U.S. president who wanted oil to sell for more than $100 a barrel (Clinton), or one who wanted a low price of $60 (Trump)?

One more contentious news item. In Gaza you have seen videos of tractor-trailers loaded with food entering the country and pallets dropped by parachute. Yet, we are hearing horrifying reports of children starving. So, who’s fault is it that food is not getting to the ones who need it? Is it Israel, the U.S., moms and dads, or Hamas? The only answer is Hamas terrorists. They use Gaza civilians as human shields, with no regard for their safety. The more civilians, especially children, Hamas can claim have starved in Gaza, the worse they make is sound for Israel and the U.S. Unfortunately, Hamas propaganda is winning. College students and European countries are taking the pro-Hamas side against Jews and Israel.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

“I am just like a politician. The less I know about anything, the more I can say about it.”  Jan. 27, 1935

COLUMBUS, OHIO: I’m happy to be home, in Hilliard, since Monday. Making remarkable progress since surgery July 15. I appreciate all the notes, calls, cards, emails, and support.

In case you are wondering, nothing yet from President Trump. He’s been in Scotland selling our oil and gas to the European Union countries while playing golf. But he could have asked the Vice-President to drop in. I thought his main job is to attend funerals, county fairs, and keep tabs on recovering comedians.

Last week I dabbled in the subject of satire. One simple definition of satire is: “the art of making someone look ridiculous, raising laughter in order to embarrass or discredit.” I think that’s a narrow, one-sided view of satire.

I prefer the Will Rogers version of satire. In preparing satirical commentary, will the “target” of the satire laugh or at least smile?

Here are three quotes that could serve as a guide for anyone writing and delivering satire:

“I have often said in answer to inquiries as to how I got away with kidding some of our public men, that it was because I liked all of them personally, and that if there was no malice in your heart there could be none in your ‘Gags.’”  WA #392, June 29, 1930

“The first thing is the remark you make must be founded on facts. You can exaggerate and make it ridiculous, but it must have the plain facts in it. Then you will hear the audience say: ‘Well, that’s pretty near right.’” How To Be Funny, July 1917

“I don’t think I ever hurt any man’s feelings by my little gags. I know I never willfully did it. When I have to do that to make a living I will quit. I may not have always said just what they would have liked me to say but they knew it was meant in good nature. I never go to Detroit that I don’t spend an entire day out with Henry Ford and I don’t suppose there is a man living, barring the owners, that have told any more jokes on him than I have.” The Illiterate Digest, 1920

 

 

OHIO HEALTH RIVERSIDE METHODIST HOSPITAL. COLUMBUS: First, a quick update. I’m headed home tomorrow. No need for a rehab facility. No pain. Easy walking, climbing stairs. Fantastic heart surgeon and entire medical crew. More at the bottom.

CBS announced they will end their late-night show in May. Steven Colbert is known as a brilliant satirist. He has a huge staff and production crew to make the show funny and interesting. But when the star is paid $20 million and the show loses $40 million (instead of making the expected substantial profit for CBS), it’s no surprise that the show will be cancelled.

Will Rogers was also known for political satire. He joked about Presidents, Senators, Congressmen, Governors, and lower-level officials. His satire was based on their policies and not “personal appearance.” If he said something negative about a person, he usually ended with a compliment. He is known for, “I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I didn’t like.”

Let me mention two prominent men he didn’t like because of policies. One was a southern senator who was a devout racist. Another was Mussolini. Will interviewed the Fascist leader of Italy. Will intended to include comments from Mussolini in his newspaper column, but decided against it. Will knew the quotes from Mussolini would make his policies sound far better than they were in practice.

Colbert suffered from a declining “live” audience, and therefore declining revenue from commercials. (ABC and NBC late-night shows are facing similar declines.)

As to Colbert’s satire in the last 10 or 12 years… how much of his humor do you remember directed at Biden, Obama, or other prominent Democrats? How about Trump and other Republicans?

Back to me…On Tuesday, the portion of the aortic artery at the top of my heart was replaced. Six days later, I get to go home. I’ll need someone with me 24 hrs. a day for a week, in case of an emergency. Obviously, still some restrictions. Plus, walking and other exercises.

I’m mentioning the following only because it might help a few of you make a life-saving decision or at least reduce health problems and cost. If my aortic aneurysm had popped up two years ago, my recovery would have taken longer than expected today. In those two years I built up muscles (arms, chest, legs) and lost 50 pounds. These changes for me, and others in a similar situation, can reduce the need for (or severity of) health issues such as heart surgery, knee and hip replacement. If you are young, make changes in lifestyle and maintain it. I wish I had been motivated to make these changes 40 or 50 years ago.

I’m going to borrow a closing from Will Rogers. After his gallbladder surgery in June 1927, he received telegrams from President Coolidge, plus several Senators, Governors, famous actors and business folks. Well, I haven’t heard from Trump (unless an envelope might have arrived asking for a contribution).

But I have received so many prayers, best wishes and other wonderful greetings that I feel like Will when he wrote his syndicated newspaper column three days later: “People couldn’t have been any nicer to me than if I had died.”

Randall Reeder
P.S. Happy birthday to our son. On his first birthday, Neal Armstrong walked on the moon. Today, Mark’s an engineering professor and Department Chair at the Air Force Institute of Technology, near Dayton.

Weekly Comments: Health Update. Colbert of CBS. Political Satire.

#1268    July 20, 2025

OHIO HEALTH RIVERSIDE METHODIST HOSPITAL. COLUMBUS: First, a quick update. I’m headed home tomorrow (Monday). No need for a rehab facility. No pain. Easy walking, climbing stairs. Fantastic heart surgeon and entire medical crew. More at the bottom.

CBS announced they will end their late-night show in May. Steven Colbert is known as a brilliant satirist. He has a huge staff and production crew to make the show funny and interesting. But when the star is paid $20 million and the show loses $40 million (instead of making the expected substantial profit for CBS), it’s no surprise that the show will be cancelled.

Will Rogers was also known for political satire. He joked about Presidents, Senators, Congressmen, Governors, and lower-level officials. His satire was based on their policies and not “personal appearance.” If he said something negative about a person, he usually ended with a compliment. He is known for, “I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I didn’t like.”

Let me mention two prominent men he didn’t like because of policies. One was a southern senator who was a devout racist. Another was Mussolini. Will interviewed the Fascist leader of Italy. Will intended to include comments from Mussolini in his newspaper column, but decided against it. Will knew the quotes from Mussolini would make his policies sound far better than they were in practice.

Colbert suffered from a declining “live” audience, and therefore declining revenue from commercials. (ABC and NBC late-night shows are facing similar declines.)

As to Colbert’s satire in the last 10 or 12 years… how much of his humor do you remember directed at Biden, Obama, or other prominent Democrats? How about Trump and other Republicans?

Back to me…On Tuesday, the portion of the aortic artery at the top of my heart was replaced. Six days later, I get to go home. I’ll need someone with me 24 hrs. a day for a week, in case of an emergency. Obviously, still some restrictions. Plus, walking and other exercises.

I’m mentioning the following only because it might help a few of you make a life-saving decision or at least reduce health problems and cost. If my aortic aneurysm had popped up two years ago, my recovery would have taken longer than expected today. In those two years I built up muscles (arms, chest, legs) and lost 50 pounds. These changes for me, and others in a similar situation, can reduce the need for (or severity of) health issues such as heart surgery, knee and hip replacement. If you are young, make changes in lifestyle and maintain it. I wish I had been motivated to make these changes 40 or 50 years ago.

I’m going to borrow a closing from Will Rogers. After his gallbladder surgery in June 1927, he received telegrams from President Coolidge, plus several Senators, Governors, famous actors and business folks. Well, I haven’t heard from Trump (unless an envelope might have arrived asking for a contribution).

But I have received so many prayers, best wishes and other wonderful greetings that I feel like Will when he wrote his syndicated newspaper column three days later: “People couldn’t have been any nicer to me than if I had died.”

Randall Reeder

WillRogersToday (dot) com

P.S. Happy birthday to our son. On his first birthday, Neal Armstrong walked on the moon. Today, Mark’s an engineering professor and Department Chair at the Air Force Institute of Technology, near Dayton.

A year ago, an amateur gunman tried to assassinate candidate Donald Trump. He missed killing the President-to-be by a fraction of an inch. But he did kill 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, and wounded two others.

A new report shows that the Secret Service was being run by amateurs that day in Butler, Pennsylvania. They put a new trainee in charge of protecting the Republican nominee for President. And the “drone operator” had only an hour of experience with a drone and had no idea how to fix it when it broke down. Communication with local officials onsite was non-existent.

On a personal note, I’m having surgery this Tuesday, July 15, to repair an aortic aneurysm. It will be done by a top surgical team at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus. (No amateurs allowed in the operating room!) I hope to post updates on Facebook. Recovery will keep me out of “normal” physical activities, events and travel for about a month.

(Will Rogers had gall bladder surgery in 1927. I may “borrow” comments from his newspaper articles and the little book he wrote about it, “Ether and Me.”)

For the tragic flash flood in Texas, 129 deaths are confirmed with 170 still missing. The National Weather Service did issue warnings on time. But the warnings did not get to the people along the river who were asleep.

This should serve as a reminder to organizations, businesses, governments and others to analyze “worst case” scenarios. In this flash flood example, did anyone think of the situation: 3:00 a.m., holiday weekend, flood plain packed with campers from other states, hundreds of young children at camps, several key officials on vacation or off-duty.

I’m confident the Secret Service trains over and over for worst case scenarios. But somewhat like a flash flood in hill country, or a wildfire in Pacific Palisades, or a hurricane in New Orleans, or a major injury for a farm family, being ready 99% of the time is not enough.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

        “I am in the California Hospital, where they are going to relieve me of surplus gall, much to the politicians’ delight. I am thrilled to death. Never had an operation, so let the stones fall where they may.” DT #282, June 16, 1927

 

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio: President Trump succeeded in getting a “Big Beautiful Bill” through Congress, by the barest of margins. He signed it on July 4.

Democrats did not give up easily. They call it ugly, and claim 11 million poor Americans will lose medical care, and 5 million will go hungry. They say billionaires and millionaires will reap most of the benefits.

I have asked this question before, and have never gotten a straight answer: what percent of total income taxes should be paid by the top 10% of income earners? The only answer you’ll hear is “They need to pay their fair share!” (Meaning, pay more than they do now.)

What do you think is the “fair share?” Should the top 10% pay 60% of the total collected? That would mean the other 90% pay 40% to support the federal services we all receive.

This may surprise you. The most recent data is from 2022, and the top 10% paid 72% of the total. Should they pay more?

How about this number? The top 1% (1.5 million tax returns) paid 40% of the total.

When the dust settles on the new tax bill, these numbers won’t change much. With the continuation of the 2017 tax reductions, plus changes in taxes on tips, overtime, and child credits, many families in the $50,000 to $100,000 range will see tax benefits of $2000 to $5000. Most people on Social Security will get a $6000 bonus.

What else can we do to cheer up Democrats? A poll taken before Independence Day showed that 90% of Republicans say they are patriotic. But only a third of Democrats feel the same way, a big drop from a year or two ago.  Wages are increasing faster than inflation. Unemployment is only 4.1%. Stock market is high.

America is the land of opportunity regardless of which political party has the majority. The millions who will “lose” Medicaid and SNAP include able-bodied people without young children who get a job, and immigrants here illegally. All of us used to be against waste, fraud and abuse, but now it’s mostly Republicans.

Deporting illegal immigrant criminals fails to cheer up most Democrat leaders. They criticize the new ICE detention facility in Florida. Instead of the commonly used (funny) name, Alligator Alcatraz, one called it Alligator Auschwitz and claimed it’s a “concentration camp.” Apparently, a Democrat leader looked at aerial photos of Alligator Alcatraz and thought he spotted gas chambers beside the tents. Actually, they are huge air conditioning units.

Has our school system failed so completely that folks under 60 will accept ridiculous comparisons to the 1930s and ‘40s? Don’t they know that Hitler and the Nazis tortured, starved and killed 6 MILLION Jews, plus millions of others?

Will Rogers was a compassionate comforter for victims of fires, earthquakes, floods and other disasters. Today, Kerr County, Texas, needs our prayers and support. Almost a hundred residents and visitors died as intense rain in the hill country caused the Guadalupe River to rise 30 feet is less than an hour. The computer models that weather forecasters depend on indicated the rain would be less intense and concentrated at least 50 miles away. The storm hit overnight, about 3:00 a.m., while young girls at Camp Mystic and campers along the river were sleeping. The Salvation Army, Red Cross, and other legitimate charities are on-site providing aid and can use our generous donations.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

        “I don’t believe our people that have never been around a flood area realize the tremendous need of these sufferers down on the Mississippi. It’s by far the worst thing that has happened in this country in years… I am going to put on my little one-man [show] for this great cause next Sunday night… They will get every cent that comes in, even if there is nobody there but my wife—who will have to pay to get in.” DT #236, April 25, 1927

The Senate is arguing over Trump’s so-called Big Beautiful Bill. Senator Schumer demanded that all 940 pages be read aloud to him and the other Senators. Did he sit there, listening intently and taking notes for the 16-hour read-a-thon? Not likely. Instead of asking a relay team of clerks to read it, they should have brought in the guy who does the disclaimers at the end of commercials for drugs. He could have finished the 940 pages in 2.5 hours flat.

After listening to the 940 pages, Republicans and Democrats act like it’s two totally different bills. Trump and the Republicans say if it is not passed, taxes will increase by $5 Trillion. Sen. Schumer and other Democrats say the bill will increase national debt by $4.5 Trillion. Both could be true. Trump cut income taxes in his first term. And Schumer is an expert at increasing the national debt.

Republicans are squabbling among themselves over the tax credits for State and Local Taxes (SALT). The current deduction limit is $10,000. That was passed in 2017. The intention was that state legislators and local officials would keep property and sales taxes low so most people would be able to deduct their entire SALT payments. But obnoxious elected officials balked, ignored taxpayers, and kept raising taxes. (The taxes on our house went up 40% in 5 years).

These officials, and many Republican Congressmen, are trying to raise the deduction to $40,000. A lot of folks in the middle of the country, especially ones who don’t even make $40,000 a year, can’t figure why residents of California, New York and New Jersey, for example, who make almost $500,000 should get to deduct all of their property taxes on their multi-million-dollar mansions. (My friends in San Francisco may remind me that a “million-dollar mansion” might be 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom.) An analysis shows that more than 95% of a $40,000 SALT deduction benefit would go to the top 20%.

Maybe the best plan is to eliminate ALL deductions and reduce the tax rate. That would get a howl from lobbyists and almost everyone else, but would be a good plan in the long run.

Did President Trump push for the cease fire too soon? Should Israel have been allowed to blast Iran military facilities another week or two? I realize both sides were apparently running low on “ammunition” (missiles and launchers for Iran; Iron Dome anti-missiles for Israel).  Before the precise bombing of the nuclear sites, Trump had demanded “Unconditional Surrender.” The cease fire has allowed Khomeini to even claim they won. However, he knows that Trump wouldn’t hesitate to send those B-2s back again. So don’t be concerned about Iran jumping back in the “game” with their second-string nuclear scientists. (Their “first team” was eliminated by Israel.)

What happened to New York City? Out of the millions of Democrats, they could only find two interested in being mayor. You remember Andrew Cuomo. As governor during Covid he took actions that resulted in deaths of hundreds of old folks in nursing homes. Then a sex scandal led to his resignation. And the winner of the Democrat Primary, Zohran Mamdani, hates Jews and embraces illegal immigrants. He would ban the Police, close prisons, raise the minimum wage to $30, make bus rides free, and city employees would run all grocery stores.

Mamdani would raise taxes on billionaires and millionaires, especially if they live in a white neighborhood. He does not understand that those wealthy people, white and otherwise, will leave. And they will take the New York Stock Exchange, Wall Street banks, and other company headquarters with them. NYC could be the new Havana.

Florida came up with a good idea (actually a location) for a federal prison. But it’s not new. Almost fifty years ago I heard a great speaker from Kansas, Dr. Kenneth McFarland, talk about a problem facing society. I remember him saying, “You can’t rehabilitate people who were never habilitated in the first place.” He added, “They should be secured in a prison. You can easily keep them there with love, and understanding, and a ditch full of alligators.” (That last sentence is paraphrased, but I remember distinctly the line about alligators.) Instead of Dr. McFarland’s joke about bringing the alligators to the prison, Florida is taking the prison to the alligators.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

“Congress is so strange. A man gets up to speak and says nothing. Nobody listens, and then everybody disagrees.” Notes, undated

        “I am going out among the people whom New Yorkers call Rubes. But these people I am going out among are the people that look at New Yorkers and laugh.” WA # 147, October 4, 1925

A day after the U.S. conducted a secret, flawless attack on three uranium enrichment facilities, we don’t know for sure if Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated. Khomeini is still defiant, launching rockets into Israel, not against military targets, but aiming to kill ordinary citizens.

President Trump has said for months, or years, the leading terrorist state cannot have a nuclear bomb and missiles that can deliver those bombs to the United States. It’s common horse sense.

Today at the United Nations, the Iranian representative continued to claim their uranium was only for electric generation. Here are a couple of facts. Uranium for electric power has to be enriched to only 3 to 5%. Iran had enriched it to at least 60%. Also, the enrichment facility does not need to be 300 feet under a mountain.

This is not over; we are in danger here at home. About 20% of Iranians still shout “Death to America.” They intend to kill as many Americans as possible. Groups of Iranians and Iranian sympathizers are scattered throughout the country, especially in large cities. The Biden Administration allowed over 700 Iranians who crossed the border illegally to stay. While the vast majority of Iranian-Americans love the freedom of this country, it only takes a few radical Islamists to organize attacks. Among the prime suspects are a handful of university professors and students who hate Jews.

A key to the success of the flawless attack was secrecy. Other than those directly involved, no one knew of the attack until President Trump announced that the seven B-2 stealth bombers had dropped 14 “bunker buster” bombs and were headed home. A submarine had fired 30 cruise missiles into one of the uranium sites. About 125 aircraft assisted, especially fighter jets and refueling planes.

Naturally a few members of Congress howled that they should have been informed and allowed to vote on a declaration of war. Secrecy would have disappeared instantly. You can guess which ones would have immediately sent a text directly to Khomeini, warning the attack would start June 21, at 6:30 pm ET.

In case you are dubious, Iran has been at war with us since 1979. Before the radical Islamists took control of the country, the Persian people lived much like we do. American-style clothing was common. The country was prosperous.

In 1983 Iran killed 241 U.S. service members in Beirut. More fatal attacks during the next 42 years were met with minimal response.  President Trump is the first to take decisive action. Let’s hope it pays off with an uprising within Iran to kick out Khomeini and the mullahs.

Will Rogers would be happy to know the Oklahoma City Thunder won their first NBA championship tonight. It took 7 games for them to beat an inspiring, over-achieving Indianapolis Pacers team, 103-91. But Will would be shocked to know they are still playing basketball on June 22.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

         “They are pretty bad, these big wars over commerce… But one over religion is really the most bitter.” WA #350, Sept. 8, 1929

Yesterday was Flag Day. In Washington, DC the Army held a huge parade to celebrate its 250^th anniversary. Yes, the Army was founded in 1775 with the single goal of separating the 13 colonies from a King.

While a lot of folks opposed spending $45 Million dollars on a parade, it is a bargain if it gives a huge boost for Army recruitment over the next few years.

Do you know how much the Army spends on marketing and advertising to attract enough young men and women each year to reach a goal of 60,000 recruits? Any guesses?

In 2022, the total for recruiting was $1.1 Billion. And only 45,000 joined, a 25% shortfall. Similar disappointing results for 2023.

With four months to go in the 2025 fiscal year, the Army has already signed 61,000 recruits.

“No Kings” parades were held across the U.S., including about 200 in California alone. Well, the Army defeated King George of England by 1783. In 1790 the U.S. Constitution was ratified, almost guaranteeing we could never be ruled by a King. The Constitution set up three separate branches of government: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.

The organizers of the “No Kings” events probably don’t know that the closest any President came to having the power of a King was Franklin D. Roosevelt. And he wasn’t close despite appointing 8 of the 9 Justices of the Supreme Court and having huge majorities of his own party in Congress. Congress did not pass everything he wanted and the Supreme Court knocked out a few of FDR’s favorite laws.

Millions of “No Kings” marchers had fun waving horrifying signs and wearing T-shirts promoting 86 47. They should know that President Trump appointed only 3 of 9 Supreme Court Justices and has a hair-thin majority in Congress. And when we add the cost of police for those parades, and the continuing anti-ICE protests in LA and other cities, it probably will equal the cost of the Army parade.

Have you noticed how Israel infiltrated Iran? Israel even built a factory in Iran to build drones that were used to kill Iranian military leaders and top nuclear scientists. A lot of Iranians, especially women, oppose the rulers and are helping Israel. About 80% of Iranians don’t like being ruled by a King (Khamenei).

Here’s a concern: are the Chinese Communists infiltrating us in the same way? Hundreds of men from China have sneaked into the country, and thousands of our citizens hate Trump and love socialism. It is reasonable to assume Xi Jinping has planned a similar barrage of deadly attacks on multiple targets.

Happy Father’s Day. Even with all the distractions yesterday and the upcoming June 19^th celebrations, I have seen an abundance of wonderful messages on social media about fathers, both living and deceased. And so far, no one has complained about their dad being a King (for one day only).

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

     “Father had a day, but you can’t find anybody who remembers when it was…  It’s been so confused with April the first.”  Radio, on Mother’s Day, 1935

“I’m not advertising or trying to sell you anything.” Will Rogers said that on a radio broadcast in 1931. And I’m saying it now.

The “before and after” photos  (below) will never be seen on a TV commercial for Ozempic, Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Adkin’s, WW, or any other similar ad. Unlike most of those products, I’m not promising anything. This works for me, but may not work for you. HOWEVER, if you have failed at losing weight, I suggest you give it a solid, dedicated effort.

Bottom line: I eliminated about 90% of desserts, 90% of snacks, and in 14 months lost 50 pounds.

I’m sharing more personal information than usual so you know details. In September 2023, my doctor advised me to do “weight-bearing exercises.” So, I started exercising at the nearby YMCA, mainly building muscles (legs, but also arms and chest). In about 6 months, I had indeed added muscle. But I was disappointed that my weight had not changed. Then two granddaughters who are nutritionists explained that muscle weighs more than fat. Duh.

How can I lose pounds? I like ice cream, pie, cake, donuts, Doritos, peanuts, Hershey bars and sweet tea to name a few favorites. But I made an important change. I eliminated 90% of desserts, soft drinks, and salty snacks. I don’t add sugar or salt to anything. (My only snack is plain almonds.) The 10% allows me to eat “normal” on special occasions, meetings and conferences. Then, if I added a couple of pounds I intentionally cut back for a day or two.

Here’s my timeline. I weighed 225 in March 2024. I set a goal of dropping to 200, which is what I had weighed for several years. Seemed quite reasonable. Well, I got down to 200 in September. Wahoo! I decided this change was not so difficult, so I set another goal of 185, which is what I weighed fifty years ago. I reached 185 by the end of January. (Note that the holidays from Thanksgiving to New Years are always tough for weight loss.)

Then I decided on one more goal. 175 pounds! And I’ll admit, the last 5 pounds were tough, but I made it on May 1. Total loss of 50 pounds.

What I learned may help you or someone you love. I did not set a goal to lose 50 pounds. That would have seemed unreasonable. But getting down to 200 was reasonable. By then I was accustomed to different eating habits, and decided to set another goal, 185. Then the third and final goal, 175 pounds.

If you are wondering, I eat pretty normal for an old country boy. Breakfast is plain oatmeal with milk and a teaspoon of honey and a banana. Plus, coffee with cream. I don’t eat anything else until supper. (For several years I had skipped lunch, or eaten lightly.)  Foods that I typically choose from for supper include beef, potatoes (with butter), eggs, pork, cheese, bread, beans, beets, tomatoes, peppers, blueberries and peaches. I do my own grocery shopping; if I don’t buy it, I don’t eat it.

For you, eating with the family may require more determination. It’s hard to turn down cherry pie with ice cream if everyone else is eating it.

Losing weight with this plan will save money instead of costing more for pharmaceuticals or special foods.

However, you will want to buy new clothes to fit the new body. Interestingly, I still had a few shirts and pants in the back of the closet from earlier days that helped get me through the “transition” times. My waist shrank by 4 inches, and shirt size dropped from XL to M. (And I can wear a shirt size S if I want to show off.)

As I said at the top, this may not work for you. Note that I did not set a specific date for any step in the weight loss. If you decide to lose pounds to fit into a certain size outfit for a wedding or high school reunion, there’s more risk. One would be disappointment if you don’t reach that goal on time, and second, after the event you may revert to old eating habits.

For me, a key is the “allowable” 10%. Allowing yourself to indulge once in a while is easier than total denial of sweets and salty snacks. You can enjoy eating at a buffet restaurant or a family reunion where everyone brings a favorite food.

And be prepared for the honest question of concern from someone who hasn’t seen you in a year or two, “Are you okay?” Your answer may be, “YES, and far better than okay!”

Photos: January 2024 (speaking), and May 2025.

Randall Reeder
WillRogersToday (dot) com     614-477-0439