How’s your waistline? Do you have a strained relationship with yours, or worse, has it left you? The signs can be subtle – one belt notch at a time.
So who did you cheat with? Was it those rich and gooey maple-fudge brownies, the elegant chocolate carmelicious shortbread bars, or that curvaceous tramp of a late night pizza? Which delicate pleasure gave a flirtatious twirl to that last bastion of defense, your willpower?
Relationships can be so transient and shallow, because we take them for granted don’t we? But now your waistline has gone AWOL, and has been replaced by a hostile entity which makes even loose clothing take on the look of mummifying garments. Don’t get used to it though. Not only is it unfriendly, it can lead to a big risk of stroke. That’s the conclusion of a 2006 Interheart study of almost 30,000 people from different countries showing that well-toned hips and a trim waist — not just the overall pounds you carry — may be your best protections against heart disease.
Researchers reported that a good waist-to-hip ratio (a measurement tool that looks at the proportion of fat stored on your waist, hips and buttocks – as if a second opinion is needed), is actually a better predictor of heart attack risk than the body-mass index, the current standard. Weight concentrated around the middle is often referred to as an “apple” shape; whereas, weight concentrated around your hips is referred to as a “pear” shape. The apple people are said to be at higher risk for heart disease and diabetes than their pear counterparts.
While we don’t need a degree in rocket science to figure out what food chain perpetrators were involved in the kidnapping of your waist, let me throw another twist into the plot – inactivity. A little bit of hard work and dedication will actually work wonders where faulty diets and spot-reduction machines fail miserably. I mean, how many actually know that 15 reps on the popular thigh master can’t undo the damage of a bag of chips and an early snorefest on the couch?
So contrary to everything that is anathema in some people’s lives, I am indeed suggesting a paragon of exercise and food discipline. Yes – gasp – there is willpower involved. Being a quitter no longer means getting satisfaction at turning away the dessert cart on the third trip around. It actually involves some sort of – dare I say it – denial. But if you want to rekindle the passion with your former waistline, you have to show it you can be trusted. Go on, let out some of that frustration on the elliptical trainer or treadmill, as you rehash your abandonment issues.
The good news is that you don’t have to spend eternity rekindling the flame. Yes, recklessness drove your waist into hiding, but some faithful diligence to a balanced lifestyle of good nutrition and basic exercise three to four days weekly can do wonders for your relationship. The overt matchmaker in this case is the ever present exercise. Sure, it can seem overly willing in getting involved in your business, but in the end it can unite you with your waist once again. And that – big sob – is just a beautiful thing.
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