Those Who Indulge – Bulge

About 20 years ago I saw a greeting card with a photo of a large hippo on the front that said, “Those who indulge, bulge.” I thought it was funny so I grabbed it up without thinking about who I would give the card to and for what occasion.  It turns out there really is no occasion for the inappropriate card, not even to tease my sister. I think it’s still sitting in a drawer among other cards I’ve collected such as, “Do people who run marathons know they don’t have to?” and “Leftovers are for quitters.”

I guess I am beginning to come to terms with the reality that trying to maintain a healthy body weight is no joke. I have hit that age where every morsel of food or drink that I put in my body must be carefully considered and throwing caution to the wind and just eating whatever I want will only bring huge consequences – and guilt. Food is incredibly delicious. It doesn’t seem fair to have to choose between enjoying it and having good health.

When I was growing up, my parents taught us good eating habits through their dinnertime rituals. The family was expected to be home every night at 6:00 and we were required to eat everything that was put in front of us. All of the food was homecooked and there was no waste. I wasn’t fond of vegetables but I was made to eat every piece before I left the table, which by then the food was pretty cold. My dad always said that vegetables would “put hair on my chest,” which was a confusing message for a girl.  

As a family, we seldom ate out. On occasion, we would go to Jack in the Box for a burger or get Ming’s Chinese take-out, and I think maybe twice we sat down at Los Arcos for Mexican food. My only food extravagance during those years was the treks I took with my friends to Hober’s Pharmacy where we would buy fistfuls of candy then eat it while sitting on our bikes in the parking lot. Our parents never guessed what we were doing – and we never told them.

I was a tall skinny kid with a good appetite. During my childhood, I could eat anything I wanted and not gain weight. I chalk this up to having inherited a good metabolism and being active. The neighborhood kids and I played hard in the wash and hills surrounding our homes.  As a young adult, I remained thin by attending the new aerobics classes that became a thing in the 1980s. Despite my efforts to stay fit people still referred to me as skinny, which sounded like a bad word. 

“You are so skinny!” This caused me to feel “less than” and I desperately tried to gain weight but couldn’t. I eventually adopted a careless style of eating since it didn’t matter anyway. Looking back at the photos of myself in my exercise leotards and leg warmers, I was just the right size for my height and shouldn’t have listened to anyone but my inner voice.

It was after I had given birth to three children when my eating habits caught up with me and my body remained big in the middle. The weight started piling up due to the lifestyle change and no one called me skinny anymore. I no longer had the luxury of eating anything I wanted and abandoning exercise. But as a parent, how do you find the time to work out and eat right? It’s not easy. And did I mention that food is delicious? 

My children are now grown adults and I have a grandchild on the way. I have become a heavy person because I did not take care of my body as I aged, which has contributed to my high blood pressure and pre-diabetes. The first step to healing is to admit and take responsibility for that. The second step is to decide to get back on track. By putting this in writing, I am challenging myself to do better. I haven’t forgotten that exercise is important, so I do Pilates every week and walk some. I also enjoy all food including vegetables. Thanks, Dad.  

Now … I just need to realign my balance by increasing my physical activity level while reducing my food intake, especially the high-calorie, poor-quality stuff. I will check back in and let you know how it’s going.

Susan Bolan
susanbolan710@gmail.com