"A Problem Page For All!"

Keeping off excess fat is healthy, yes, but how do you define excess? So much depends on where you live and where your ancestors lived. I get confused by the where-you-are versus where-you-came-from stuff. Lots of people say it's super-healthy to eat only locally-grown foods, because then you'll be getting the nutrients particular to the location you live in. (For instance, if you live in a tropical area, you're going to need the potassium from the tropical fruits, but people who live in Alaska don't need potassium from fruits; they need whatever is found in...whale meat, or whatever.) However. That kind of throws most Americans into a quandry, because while I, my body, me, is living in the Midwest of America, my DNA comes from the Netherlands. What does my body need? Indiana-grown food? Netherlands-grown food? I'm confused!

Alaskans need more fat -- simply to keep warm -- than do, say, Cubans -- who live in a much warmer climate. How much fat is "excess" for an Alaskan living in Cuba? A Cuban living in Alaska? (Sorry, Cuba, with its politics, is a bad example. An Alaskan in Cuba?! But you get my drift.)

I don't know what's "excess" for my particular DNA, current location, and lifestyle. I don't buy those charts that tell you what your weight "should" be without factoring in your muscle mass, body type, bone structure, ancestry, and current home location. Nothing can be that simple!

I guess I'm defensive about this. For years I've avoided all this talk, and I'm not willing to suddenly switch over to the "enemy" and start telling my family and friends that they're going to die because they have some (beautiful) curves on their hips, thighs, stomachs, shoulders. Part of me really, really misses my curves. I'm bonier, dammit, and that's not as soft, and I still maintain that soft is attractive. My current bottom line: Eat healthy. Eat as healthy as you can. Live healthy. Let your body balance itself. See what happens. It'll happen. Whatever's happening to me while my body balances out, I'll deal with. If I get thin after a while, so be it. I'll still always have broad shoulders and hips, and my stomach naturally sticks out a bit even when there's no fat on it. I'll be beautiful in a year, whatever I look like, and I'll be beautiful in ten years, even if I've gained all my weight back. For me these days, it'll all about beauty, about loving who you are -- and making sure you're being responsible, taking care of and loving your body, preserving your earthly home. You've only got one body. Take care of it. But taking care of it doesn't neccessarily mean stressing out because you've got some extra weight (stress, my dears, is very bad for the body!). Relax. Breathe in. Breathe out. Relax already.

Eh, that's what I'm telling myself. We'll see if it holds up. What think you? I didn't mean to throw a rant in your face, Caitsy dear! Forgive me if I've offended. This is...new territory to me.