Dieting

(Originally published May 12, 1982)

With summer fast approaching, the great concern and/or obsession in this country seems to be the pound. I'm not speaking of the British pound sterling, but ... the extra pound or two that hangs over a chair when seated, or the pounds that won't allow last year's bathing suit to be worn with out threats of obscenity.

The second largest past time in this country isn't TV as one would imagine, (the first being eating), not at all, it is dieting. Everyone who is ANYONE at all, is on a diet (If you don't believe me, just ask 'em).

During the great depression of the 30's there is no mention of dieting, that I could find in the textbooks. Nearly everyone in the country was as lean as the times. The big objective then was just to keep body and soul together.

Prosperity not only brings more FOOD to the LARDER, but. ... more LARD to the FOODER, and more sheckels in the pockets of what I call the "fat merchants". Now, "fat merchants" sell illusions -"buy my merchandise" get "slim and trim" and life will be "HAPPY EVER AFTER." (I know some skinny people who are miserable).

In some cultures fat is the "in" thing. For example, in old China the more blubberous the wife, the more prosperous the husband. (This rule must have been made by men), but there were drawbacks from the wife's point of view. The husband would parade his portly wife before the townspeople to declare how rich he was and then "split" to where he had a couple of "slim and trim" concubines stashed.

And take the Potentates of India -not once will you find one of them ordering a "salad" from the menu of the local oasis. Their weight was their fortune, and literally so. Once a year their subjects paid tribute to them. The "big boys" were weighed and in return were given a pound of gold for each pound of "fat." Now that's one time when gluttony paid off. All through history "fat" was equated with wealth and  happiness. Look at Buddah - that fat little dickens has lasted for several thousand years. The great artists of history seemed to prefer painting ladies of the larger variety.

Well, back to the subject of fat-food and fads. There are thousands of aids to help us get thin - pills, diets by the gross, exercise gyms, special scales to weigh food, weight watchers, overeaters anonymous, hypnosis, counters, imitation foods, sugar free, fat free, and they all cost a FORTUNE.

It just doesn't make sense to spend all that money for FOOD to get thin when the answer is so simple - just fill your plate with every thing that you crave and enjoy - chew each bite 20 times -- but don't swallow. It works every time!

Well, must run - time for the Richard Simmons Show, then have to at the health food store on the way to aerobic dance class.

-GRANNY