Also important is a medical checkup. The experts say that if you are more than 30 pounds overweight and/or 40 years or older, a physical checkup, complete with certain tests, is vital. By those standards, I could need THREE physicals. My new doctor, however, dismissed that notion. "Diet and exercise … very important," Dr. Miguel Topalov calmly explained.

"Yes, we will want to do a complete blood work, and some other testing, but diet and exercise, very important," he reiterated.

"OK, what about a stress test? I inquired.

What he didn’t tell me was that the tests would be set up for the Monday following Super Bowl Sunday. Our annual Super Bowl ritual in the Fisher household is a big spread of Mexican food. This tradition goes back for over 20 Super Bowls and was to be my last pre-diet fling.

But alas, the stress test required a four-hour fasting period. The blood tests, however, required a 12- to 14-hour fasting period. By halftime I could have nothing but water. Watching the Super Bowl and toasting touchdowns with water has the real potential of being …well, blah!

To avoid the blahs, I also avoided water, except to brush my teeth, but then I didn’t swallow that water.

In the accompanying box are the results of my physical exam and tests. As you can see, with the exception of a somewhat elevated blood pressure, all the other numbers are well within the norms. In fact, my cholesterol numbers are surprisingly good, especially the LDL/HDL ratio of 2.5. This compares to a male average risk of 3.6. That means that my ratio is about three-fourths risk of the average male.

Topalov explained that, while weight is one of the factors that can cause cholesterol levels to be too high, other factors such as food preferences and especially genetics play a much larger role.

"You could be very thin and still have a cholesterol problem," the doctor explained, "but yours is very good."

What is of some concern is my blood pressure level. Dr. Atkins contends that by reducing my weight and avoiding the high carbohydrates, a lower blood pressure will be one of the natural results. Topalov will be watching that number carefully in the coming weeks.

I didn’t have to study for my blood tests because I knew I would pass them! As a 6-gallon-plus blood donor, my blood has been tested many times. I always get an A+. I know what you’re thinking, "Rich, your blood is not A+, it is A positive." To which I say, "A+ seems a little less … blah!"

What I didn’t know was that after my stress test and my blood test, Topalov also wanted a urine test. Keep in mind that I had nothing to eat or drink for 14 hours prior to this. And other than brushing my teeth, I didn’t have even water.

This test would have to wait until I could down a 32-ounce bottle of water and take a nice brisk walk in the winter morning air.

The stress test was nothing surprising to me, I was prepared. I would be attached with a number of monitoring lines and asked to walk on a treadmill at increasing speeds and somewhat up hill until my heart was "stressed" to measure for any abnormalities. I was able to achieve 100 percent of what was expected, with no arrhythmia or other concerns, in nine minutes.

To prepare for this test, I had been using my home treadmill for a couple of weeks. But to prepare especially for the "stress" portion, I decided to walk at a brisk pace while talking with my 17-year-old son, Zach, about the importance of not succumbing to "senioritis."

To assure that he was listening, I asked him to take notes. Somewhat unusual, but I thought it was worth a try. And so I went, walking and talking for two miles. I was on a roll, the exercise felt challenging but invigorating, my insightful, fatherly words of wisdom to my son, I was in a zone! Zach was capturing every word I uttered.

Finally, somewhat exhausted, I stepped off the treadmill and with a towel to wipe away the sweat, turned to my son and asked to see his notes.

I sat, somewhat stunned as I read, "Blah blah blah (huff, huff) blah blah blah blah, (puff, puff) blah blah, blah (huff huff) … for three pages.