DIET | DETECTIVE^®

I am currently shopping around for a new car. Of course, I am taking into consideration the many realities of our economy, and looking for a vehicle that consumes as little gas as possible. I set my sights on a Scion TC and was enthused to find an advertisement for a 2007 model with only four thousand miles on it… better still… it was within my price range. Could it be - an almost new car for just about $10,000?

I am a well informed consumer, and quickly learned that this vehicle holds a “rebuilt” title. A rebuilt or reconstructed vehicle is a salvage vehicle that has been repaired and restored to operation. These vehicles are often severely damaged before they are rebuilt and refurbished parts are typically used during reconstruction. In most states, an inspection of the vehicle is required before the vehicle is allowed to return to the road, but not in Florida . Also home to the South Beach Diet, and where I am too, a “rebuilt” title.

The operational terms of obesity, or recovery in any form, and rebuilding are not unlike the aforementioned process of rebuilding a vehicle: refurbished, yes – but still salvaged.

Fat, I remember feeling like my body and my being were separate entities. Woody Allen said – and I am paraphrasing – I don’t want to be part of any club that would have me as a member. It is a great challenge to feel a high self-worth and value in a society that chastises the obese; meanwhile, its membership rates have never been so high! But no one wants to be fat, or a drunk. Healing comes with the very sober awareness of the commute from point A to B.

We are a society of paradoxes. What looks good is good, and that car looked good as new, but according to the Kelley Blue Book, a “rebuilt” title holds no value.

I “rebuilt” myself. I started from the ground up. Rebuilt, I look good as new, but my engine is well aware of my salvaged life experiences; I wouldn’t trade them into any dealer, their value is too high. For people, rebuilt title lends value; for cars it detracts.

Finding value takes work, and it’s no wonder that diets don’t. Learning self-worth and one’s value is something that many people never achieve – it’s even harder when you mature with the awareness of a stigma that you bare - rebuilt title or not. I don’t recall this being advertised as part of the South Beach Diet.

Fortunately, cars are not people. I am worth much more than the car that I can afford, and humbly, I will continue to drive my Kia Rio with its clean title and blender for an engine. Either way, I got to where I needed to be.

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