You Can Lose It All

1984

You can do it, they said. You can lose it all.

all that fat, all that flab

in ten days

for fifteen dollars

no pain or gain

amazing, powerful, beautiful

Run, jump, jog when the pill doesn’t work

sweat, starve, smile

all the while losing more than weight

brittle bones, balding hair

weak, tired, empty

You can do it, they said. You can lose it all. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: See main story under headline “Passing images”