EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT CHEATING I LEARNED FROM MY GRANDMAS

I was realizing the other day that many of the habits of body builders and fitness trainers which I now practice, I learned as a child.


I grew up in England in the care of my maternal grandmother for parts of my childhood. I remember that we had frequent smaller meals throughout the day. We had our bigger meal (carbohydrates) at noon.


We had planned 'cheat days'. But to us it was simply called Sunday. That is, each week on a Sunday, my grandma would bake a cake (usually coconut) and that is the only day we had that type of food. It was not made into a big deal - it was just part of our routine. On Sundays, we always visited her mother, my great grandmother.


Great grandma was in her 90s, blind and frail but..she knew my footsteps the second I arrived. Grandma would go visit with her sister in the kitchen. I would sit in the rocking chair by the fire with great grandma (there was no central heat). She would bring out our weekly treat. A Cadbury's chocolate bar. She would break off a square for herself and one for me and put the rest away for the next week. We would let it slowly melt in our mouths enjoying each other's company and the warm fire.


Eating the whole thing never occurred to us. One piece of sweet was plenty. Still..to this day, I buy a chocolate bar and have one square once in awhile. It is enough.


But I did lose my way during the days of my obesity.


It seems we have become nations of super sizing, pig fests and all you can eat bonazas destroying our bodies and our health.


It is a good habit to develop.....having treat foods as something rare and precious to savour and eat slowly, enjoy in small amounts and put away until the next time. And to treat food in general as a valuable fuel to be taken in as required and not as desired.