"I need to get my waist down by at least 3-4 inches, Doc. I'm going to my Silver Jubilee High School Reunion in India." The young looking woman was wringing her hands. She seemed distraught.
"When are you leaving for India?" I asked.
"In 2 months," she replied. "You see Doc, I haven't seen most of them since I graduated high school. That was 25 years ago. And I won't see them probably for another 25. I really need to lose some weight."
"You look good though," I said gently. "Why are you so bothered about folks you haven't seen in 25 years and like you said, won't see them again for another 25?"
"All the more reason Doc, they will carry that impression for the rest of their lives!" She said, throwing up her hands.
"So how does that matter....." I started, but then stopped. She had a her own point of view. It was not my place to lecture her. "Diet and exercise. That's the only way you can lose inches from your waist. But let me say this again, you look great the way you are."
"But how about the waist melter and fat burn tablets? Do those pills help?" she asked.
"If you get those pills, the only thing you help is the economy, not yourself," I replied.
We are a culture obsessed with being thin. Being fit does not mean being skinny. Maybe we should always eat healthy and exercise, as a routine and not just before special occasions. Especially during the holidays, people are so cautious about what they eat between Thanksgiving and New Year. Maybe we should be careful of what and how we eat between New Year and Thanksgiving. As some wise person said - "Dieting is the penalty we pay for exceeding the feed limit."
Most of us are always trying to lose weight, but if we don't eat right, weight will always keep finding us, and generally around the waist. And its tougher to lose weight when we grow in years, because as time passes, our body and our fat become real good friends!
Eating healthy and dieting are two different things. Eating healthy should be a habit. Dieting is a fad that generally does not last too long. The first thing most people lose on a diet is their sense of humor, and worse, sometimes their temper.
I know plenty of people who are not thin, are not skinny, but look fabulous as a total person. Physical attributes are just a part of our appearance. The overall personality includes the vibe that we exude, our intellect, our sense of humor and our disposition, among many other things.
"My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people." ~ Orson Welles
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