Chapter 1.

“It is a melancholy fact that one is what one is born to be.

One never does know that one is getting fat. One knows that other people are getting fat – that they are fat.

But oneself? Never!

It is that way. One day (with horror) you discover you are fat. You see it in your mirror.

More tragically you may see it in a woman’s eyes. Then of two things, one: Either you sink, cowardly, in the sea of tallow and your life as a man is over; or, you take advice.”

The above is taken from the first chapter of: Eat and Grow Thin, The Mahdah Menus. By Vance Thompson.

Classic.

I couldn’t put this book down yesterday. Found in the cedar closet in the pile of a massive rubble of books and … crap.

Found also after I had indulged in my aunt’s amazing triple chocolate cake. Tell me I didn’t feel like the kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar when Brother walked in the kitchen and saw me, fork in hand, devouring the cake – right off the cake plate.

I didn’t even have the patience to cut myself a piece. I just went right for it. Rather fitting that the first book I found was about food. The Universe at work.

In a minimum of 47 years nothing —  let me repeat: nothing has been thrown out at my gparents.

I’m sure that’s being more than generous, because I highly doubt anything was pitched when they made the move from their previous home in the early 60s.

You can only begin to imagine the extreme amount of … stuff that pervades in every nook and cranny.

Those that are behind close doors, that is. In which case, you best be careful of what door you’re opening.

Many an item has been known to come flying, I mean, falling out.

I personally can’t think of anything more thrilling {when I’m there} than seeing what new stuff I am able to uncover and discover.

I particularly am drawn to my gma’s books.

She has quite the book collection. From fat to space travel.

Yeah, she was a well read, well topic covered woman.

Skimming through Eat and Grow Thin, written and published in 1914 was an eye opener of just how little has changed.

Maybe it’s this way with everything.

We think we’ve come so far and are so different than those who have come before.

But really, what is different about us?

I don’t think much.

Go take a look sometime at old publications — articles, books, reviews and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

At the turn of the century, women {and men} were just as concerned about how they looked as we are today.

Diets. Non diets. Drugs. Vitamins. Magic weight loss pills. Exercise regimens.

They had ’em. They tried ’em.

The Zone and South Beach Diet? Ain’t nothing new.

That’s actually what Thompson’s menus and meals resemble. The first thing he recommends cutting out – all sugars and carbs.

He does one hell of a job of playing on inner insecuritites and giving many examples of obese people from Broadway to Paris.

Although I might have to disagree with his take that financial crimes have a bizarre and direct link with obesity – “almost all embezzlers are fat.”

Really?

He’d probably re-think that statement today.I don’t recall Bernie packing any extra poundage.

What I think will not ever change in our society is our obsession with looks and beauty and those standards that we set.

Weight being a huge focale point.

No wonder we’re crazed on binge eating and diets.

Where’s the balance?

What about just eating, in moderation and adding exercise in. Actually get up, get out and move your ass!

It’s amazing what that alone will do.

Oh.

And loving ourselves, for who we are. Not what we are.