Anna Monica – Ripples

Sorry that we missed each other last week. Sometimes, somehow, our routine gets sidetracked, but here I am with something “weighty” on my mind.

The other day my sister, Maria, and I had a conversation that undoubtedly so many of you have all the time. We were talking about diets and dieting – ugly talk, really. Maria claims that nothing works and sometimes I want to agree, but most of the time I believe we all want to do the same thing – trim eating one day and lose at least five pounds by the next. If we don’t lose, then we are justified in going off the diet (and Maria will never let me hear the end of this).

Well, it has to be possible to lose because look at the Arkansas governor Huckabee, who just lost over 100 pounds. It was amusing to me to hear that he, just like me, loved eating any junk food that would “crunch.” His favorite was chips and any kind of dip and I’ll go for that myself. It has been said also that depressed, nervous or anxious people, among others, for sure, like to eat foods that have a crunch. Somehow, it satisfies.

Most very young children can get away with it because their little motors seem to never turn off. However, once they get a little older and in school, life becomes a little more sedentary because computers, real television, and not just Bob the Builder and Dora tapes, take over. Tie that in with Game Boys, Play Stations, and whatever, and you can get some chubby little folks. In fact, childhood obesity is indeed a serious concern in our country today. All those things are good; but in very controlled moderation

We are not to altogether be blamed for our sedentary lives. Some of us never had technology-influenced playthings that could be used anywhere but are mostly used inside. And, not because some many of us are older do I say this, but can you find many youngsters today who will play a game of “hide and seek” at the drop of a hat; and how many times do you see an impromptu game of baseball or football in a back yard or vacant lot? Well, not as many as we used to see, for sure. Besides, they probably never heard of the school-ground or neighborhood games the older generation played. You can bet, though, that the older generation didn’t have as many weight problems – at least, not until they were truly older.

I used to think it was foolish to use the remote instead of getting up to change the television. Of course, in those days I didn’t have a television set with a remote control. Now, it is a wonder how anyone could watch television without one.

The bottom line is, of course – with all the technology we have available today and all the strides we are making in medical science – why can’t we have something that helps us start a diet and lose five pounds by the next day?

ANNA MONICA, a native and resident of Garyville, has her column published each Saturday.