Figure Woes

I look in the mirror

And what do I see

A strange-looking person

That surely cannot be me.

For, I am much younger

And not nearly so fat

As that strange face in the mirror

That I am looking at.

Oh, where are those mirrors

That I used to know

Like the ones which were made

Some thirty years ago.

I got a shock when I looked in the mirror ,I just  couldn't recognize myself. I had become a piece of tubby lard with wisps of white in my hair.The double chin, the neck hung like a dewlap,the waist was a mass of tiers.The pince-nez on the nose gave me the old marm look. I looked short and portly. No wonder my daughter had shrieked seeing me today. She had lectured me to eat healthy and stay in shape as most of her friend's mothers looked well turned out and could be mistaken for elder sisters accompanying their daughters. They seemed to be ageless, while I looked hideous in their presence. She hated accompanying me whenever I wanted to go to the market. What had happened to me?

I had been that gawky looking schoolgirl during my school days where people would comment on my skinny figure, They felt I was ill-fed as I gained no flesh. I would be advised to eat a lot to gain some flesh.

As I entered my adoloscence phase I became conscious of my gaunt looks. I started eating to my fill. I was ravenous whole day. I would easily polish off a full loaf of bread slathered with butter and cheese, Due to which I became a little chubby a sudden transformation from the scrawny looking schoolgirl. I was happy that there was some flesh on me. But my happiness didn't last long. People commented I should watch my diet or I would become obese. Earlier It was I should eat to gain weight, then it was I should try and loose some weight.

Soon I entered college where I envied the gals with the hour glass figure. Who were always on a diet of juices and unsalted crackers. They were sought after by all the handsome hunks of the college. I yearned to be like them and suddenly I decided I would go on a crash diet. I became anorexic and looked like a stick. I came to my senses when I became anaemic and was hospitalized for a week.

The 'hour glass phase died' and I was on a balanced diet consisting of greens and fruits.It worked wonders for me. I developed a glowing skin and a good  toned body. People still didn't stop they told me to remove dairy from my diet to retain my figure.

Soon I was hitched and started another figure woe journey. Some said she needs to gain more weight the saree doesn't accentuate her figure, she looks like a scarecrow. While some others were of the opinion she needs to lose a little as she looks bigger than her age in western dresses. I didn't have the perfect figure to wear Indian or western clothes. I was depressed as I stood out like a sore thumb in society.

Before I could decide the next course of action to get that perfect figure I had embraced motherhood. Again started a volley of instructions. I should eat for two otherwise baby would be underweight. Due to health issues and complications, my appetite took a downslide and I didn't put on too much weight as desired.

Post-pregnancy I had gained some weight aftermath of the drugs consumed during pregnancy. Another set of figure woes began when I was berated by friends and relatives alike for my post-partum weight which made me look ugly.

Soon my tots took over my life and I forgot about my figure issues. My life was all about nurturing them. Running after them all day helped me shed some weight. I felt my life had taken a turn for the positive.

The tot phase soon turned into the teen phase where my kiddos seemed to have become figure-conscious. They ate with caution and gave me tips to retain the perfect figure.

It was my obsessive phase. I wanted to be the Evergreen Didi instead of being addressed as aunty by unknown strangers, vendors alike. I was into yoga, Zumba and  Pilates. Food was measured according to a diet chart prepared by a proper nutritionist. Everyone complimented me as it looked age hadn't caught on me.

But it is said all good things do not last forever. I was undergoing the 'Empty Nest Syndrome' which was killing me. From fit, I turned to flab. I turned into a couch potato binging on my favourite snacks while catching on my favourite Netflix shows.

This was  the awakening I got when my daughter shrieked and asked me to look at myself in the mirror.

Now all things have changed

And I’m sure you’ll agree

Mirrors are not made as good

As they once used to be.

 

So never be concerned,

About those wrinkles and flab that your eyes see

For one thing I’ve learned

That is now very clear to me,

Should your complextion

Be less than perfection,

It is really the mirror

That surely needs the correction!

Neither the figure nor the complexion

can be up to people's perfection. 

The mirror has awakened the inner ME to resolve, rework to reduce and relax. Whether I gain or reduce oodles of weight the figure woes will always be there. Kuch toh log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna----

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Dr Preeti Talwar