Confronted by an upsetting realization that being overweight is a major reason I must take blood pressure medicine daily, I’ve finally decided to address the issue with both hands.

I reached the decision after learning from a physician that much study has gone into the relationship between being overweight and heart disease and strokes. He said research shows maintaining your proper weight proves more helpful than even exercise.

I now have in hand a two-page diet that, if followed, will produce needed weight loss over time. I’m committed to getting into a better shape but will need all my willpower to stick to my diet.

Gone from my diet now are all forms of beef products, most pork products, all forms of pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit, sugar, cheese and other dairy products, eggs, bread and every form of candy and desserts conceived by woman or man. Due to the above, I will not participate in barbecues, steak dinners or even have an occasional burger and fries.

However, the diet does allow me to follow the advice of the cows on television commercials that suggest I “eat more chicken.” I can eat broiled or grilled fish and a long list of vegetables (some I don’t even recognize).

This weekend will be my biggest test. My wife, Peggy, cooked a red velvet (all four layers) cake for my daughter, Allison’s, birthday. Need I say red velvet is one of my favorite cakes?

I have made myself a promise that I will stand up to the temptation and eat a substitute for the red velvet cake. Who am I trying to kid here? There is no substitute for red velvet cake.

Maybe I should wait until just before the party to take and record my daily blood pressure reading. I’m sure the reading will be high, and that might be enough of an incentive for me to use both hands to push myself away from the party table.