Sometimes adolescents can be so delightful and their perspective quite refreshing, but at other times, they can be painfully and brutally honest. For months, I had noticed my curvaceous body beginning to round out a little. Though this caused me a little anxiety, I procrastinated about doing anything to reverse the impending doom which loomed ahead. As my clothes struggled to accommodate their new challenge, I continued to indulge my pallet with delectable goodies. A true chocolate lover, I was devoted to all those gooey, fudge covered desserts. Soon I had to face the inevitable consequences. My clothes could no longer contain the extra poundage, expanded waistline, and padded hips. I was literally popping buttons off my blouses and the zippers on my skirts and slacks refused to even negotiate a close!
One day, I got on the scale to weigh the damage and it said, “Only one at a time, please. Will one of you kindly get off?” Even then, I did nothing to regain control of my weight. I stopped the weekly weigh-ins and resorted to wearing pullover tops and pants with elastic waistbands. Needless to say, this wardrobe was extremely limiting. As I continued to eat my way through yummy heaven, my figure took on totally different curves. From the front, I looked like a circle with sticks protruding from the bottom and sides! A true piece of kindergarten art! When I looked in the mirror at my side view, I had as much sticking out in the back as I did in the front. The perfect S. It was hard to tell the front from the back unless you noticed the direction in which my head was turned.
Most adults were too cordial to make comments, but the kids had not yet learned the art of discretion. My granddaughter said I reminded her of a marshmallow, all soft and squishy. One of my students called me her “own little Pillsbury Doughboy(girl).” I had recently changed my hairdo and the short cut made my face appear fuller than ever. One of my best students hugged me one morning as she entered the classroom and said, “You know how much I love you, but you look like a chocolate doughnut with hair on top.” That did it!
I went on a cold turkey withdrawal from sweets that very day. I ate so much lettuce I thought I would turn into Peter Rabbit! Not one given to regular exercise, I began a crash program to walk away the pounds. Chugging like a choo-choo for the first two weeks, I was determined to regain my previous figure. I walked for 30 minutes each evening after work and then did isometric activities in the pool for another 15 minutes. At first, it was grueling but frequent glances in the mirror motivated me to stick with the program. After the first month, I actually began to enjoy my routine. I no longer looked nine months pregnant and my clothes weren’t cutting me in two any longer. By the third month, I had lost a considerable amount of weight, reduced the belly fat and expanded waistline, and felt absolutely wonderful! I had learned the hard way that eating desserts without limits was a desert experience, empty and unproductive. Now I regulate my intake of sweets, eat balanced meals, and exercise in limited moderation. No more S shapes for me!
