Fatima isn't fat anymore

[liveonearth]

I went for a bike ride down to the river today and jumped in. It is the first time I have done that. I think I might keep doing it every day while it is hot. It's a steep ramp down from the bike trail to the dock, but I made it without adding to the skid marks. There were a couple of very fit looking middle aged gents in their calvin klein undies sitting on the side of the dock. One guy was muscly like a body builder and flowing white hair, the other was lean, both were deeply tanned. I walked past them on the dock and dived in, on the shore side, not wanting to risk being out where all the motorboats were playing. It was not quite cold enough to take my breath away, but close. Colder than I expected. The freeze line, I heard on the radio, is at about 15,000 feet, so the last of the snow is melting. I lolled about in the water, back floating and doing spins and breaststroking around. The water seemed quite clean.

A woman on the end of the dock started talking to me, so I swam over and introduced myself. She is Fatima, born in Paris and raised in Morocco. She says Americans have enough resources to relax in addition to working, but we don't know how. I asked her to give me one short lesson on how to relax. She was more than willing. She said that it is important to take a few moments during each day to deeply relax, and she recommends that one do it in the morning. She says to drink plenty of water, and every now and then to not eat anything for a while and let your body, mind and soul clear. She said to get exercise, she was also there on a bike and she says that she is working toward going for a run every morning.

When I spoke she did not seem to fully register my words. After a while I got it that she was the teacher and I was the student and there would be no conversation. She said that she lost 30 pounds a couple of years ago, by focussing on her health, instead of by trying to lose weight. She said that she sees her old friends and they are guilty because they have become very rich at the price of their health. She didn't say anything about getting sunshine, but she was deep brown and was using tropicana oil on her skin.

She said that if you are not healthy, all the wealth in the world is worth nothing. She had discovered something that I also believe and know, and was teaching it to me. She would have kept talking to me about how to be healthy forever, I think, but after about 30 minutes I got tired of listening to her and split.

I wish for a teacher who is greatly advanced past the place where I am, far enough to be aware of my progress and anticipate my next question. My questions are getting more sophistocated as I study on health.

Comments

[calizen.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you got some snippets of information out of the Great Nowhere. I like the idea of thinking about being healthy as opposed to dieting.

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Here in the US I keep bumping into the idea that you do not have to be lean to be healthy. There are a great number of obese people who would say "I am healthy" if asked. They have not yet been diagnosed or had a crisis from a disease linked to high BMI--but the majority of them will. Data is beginning to pile up in favor of a "calorie restricted" diet for longevity, and for the destructive effects of insulin.

[calizen.livejournal.com]

I know. On the other hand, I do not want to die with a carrot in my hand, when pizza tastes better Or live 2 more years in an old age home because I ate right.