Aunt Marge was Tiny!

                This entry is a little late because I spent last week in California attending to the affairs of my aunt who just passed away.  Her life has brought to my attention a lot about fit food for family.  While going through her “stuff” I came across her wedding suit.  She was married to my uncle for 53 years when he passed away almost two years ago.  The suit was tiny!  Tiny Tiny Tiny!  She came to the United States from Sweden, met my uncle and they married – the rest is history! 

                Looking at pictures of her made me think about how her life was the picture of health.  She maintained her “tininess” throughout her life. There are lots of pictures of her in bikinis and short shorts!   When she died, she was a size 10!  Even though she had gained some weight, which she was not thrilled about, she still maintained a healthy weight.  She walked a lot and kept active.

                When I talked to her niece in Sweden we talked about her wedding suit and how tiny it was and her comment was that Aunt Marge had always “thought about what she ate.”  How different from our American saying that we “watch what we eat.”  Of course we watch what we eat; our mouth is right under our eyes!  Thinking about what we eat makes a lot more sense.  Consciously deciding what to eat is a great way to maintain a healthy eating plan.  Notice I didn’t call it a diet!  When I eat something, I try to think about why I am eating something.   Is it worth the calories? Is it good for me? Will in increase my health?  Do I need more?

                When I cleaned out Aunt Marge’s cupboards and freezer I found lots of treats.  She loved sweets, but in moderation.  I found a box of cannoli in her freezer.  The box was supposed to hold three – one was gone.  She could have eaten all of them, but consciously made the decision to enjoy one at a time.  They were small – I am sure I could have eaten all of them in one sitting! 

                Her life is a reminder to all of us what we can be.  With moderation, we can enjoy treats along with the healthy foods and we can all maintain our own tininess!

Rest in Peace Aunt Marge.