The Thirty Year Diet

Written by Diet Bites

Losing weight now rather than putting it off forever.

Marge and Judy are the dearest of friends - have been for thirty years. When Judy met Marge, Marge was on a diet.

Now it's thirty years later, and Marge is still on that diet.  

My how time flies when you're not having fun.

Judy and Marge slipped onto the bench located by the west gate of the beautiful garden.

A profusion of color enveloped the area and as Judy took in the wonderful, heady scent of the honeysuckle treading the iron fence, Marge sipped her diet tea.

"Judy, my mind's set. I'm not going to Kitty's New Year's Party and that's that," Marge eased out thoughtfully, drawing her mouth into a tight bow after her determined announcement.

She narrowed her eyes and continued, "You know Kitty; she'll be serving everything that evening but the kitchen sink. And I'm on a diet, you know. The last thing I need to face is eclairs and eggnog!"

She paused to study her well manicured nails that were done this time in a bright fuchsia pink, then tacked on thoughtfully, "Besides that, Kitty's Aunt Scrooge will be there. It's hard to believe that sixty years ago she was the Bezoria High School Sweetheart, isn't it? Old batty bat."

Marge unsuccessfully fought off a giggle.

Judy turned to study her dear friend. At fifty-two she was still quite beautiful.

Over the years, her hair had lightened and was threaded with silver, the effect stunning.

She'd put on a bit of weight over time, about seventy-five pounds since Judy had met her.

It had crept up on her, five pounds here, ten pounds there.

It wasn't that Marge was unconcerned about the weight gain; why she'd been on a diet since Judy had known her. Wow, thirty years now Judy silently realized.

Time passes so swiftly - having fun or not.

Marge was on an endless merry-go-round.

Thirty Years of Dieting

Thirty years of dieting with nothing to show for - unless you counted those dreadful seventy-five pounds.

The sad thing about it was that most of the time, Marge ate healthy. The servings may have been a bit more than needed, but they were generally healthy.

Judy didn't know exactly why her friend hadn't lost the weight that she so wanted to lose; she only wished that Marge would quit dieting, or make this her final diet. All that yo-yoing couldn't be good for her. Judy had read some scary things about yo-yos.

Our Dieting Amid the Holidays Story Continues...

Her thoughts returned to Marge's comments. No doubt, Kitty would be hurt.

Their husbands worked together in a small law firm. Yes, Kitty's feelings would definitely be injured.

However, Marge was dead on target regarding the dreadful Aunt Scrooge. She was one woman who lived up to her name, probably a descendent of Ebeneezer himself.

Judy sanded her hand over her left forearm, trying to find a way to tactfully broach the delicate situation.

On one hand, she understood Marge's concerns. Kitty did like to put on the spread and she always used Edwardo, a locally famous French chef, to engineer her party.

Edwardo had a passion for butter. His Alfredo sauce was so thick, one just about needed a buzz saw to cut through the concoction.

Of course, there was always Aunt Scrooge's green mystery Jell-O dish to fall back on. Auntie claimed it was healthy. Judy could think of two men who had suddenly sprouted chest hair after their intake of the mystery substance.

"Marge, I understand you're dieting, but it's just for one evening."

"The, tch. One evening at Kitty's and I'll look like a Guernsey cow. No, my mind's made up, Judy and I'm not going."

Judy winced her lips. Marge could be determined when she chose to be. Judy drew in a deep breath of the scented garden, trying to calm herself.

Squaring her shoulders, she eased out, "Marge, how long have you been on this diet?"

"Hum? What?"

"This diet of yours. How long have you been on it?" Judy pressed.

Silence filled the garden. Even the rush of sparrows had quit singing in the distance.

"Marge, my dear friend, you've been on this diet ever since I met you - thirty years now."

"What! Oh surely not." Marge was mumbling something about a snack cake and a fortune cookie, but Judy couldn't quite make her out.

Diet Bites 30 Year Diet Story Continues....

"Marge, Kitty will be devastated. Look," she sighed, clasping Marge's nervous hand in her own, "Sweetie, you're beginning to orchestrate your life around this endless diet of yours. This is the third time this month you've rearranged your schedule."

"My gosh! Thirty years! Judy, I-I had no idea…"

"There, there, don't fret, Marge," Judy begged, patting her friend's hand that was suddenly drenched in sweat.

Marge recovered a bit then gazed intently into Judy's sea blue eyes. "You're right, Judy, thirty years. Oh my. And yes, I have rearranged things lately due to 'the' diet, haven't I?"

Judy nodded affirmatively and Marge continued, "But what's one to do? Look at me. I've jumped from a size 14 to a size 20. One more gala event and I shudder to look at the scale."

Judy gave her a few moments to calm down, then gently suggested, "Okay, I agree. So, how about this?"

"Yes?"

"Why not let me be your weight coach? Let me help you? Go to the party and stick by me, Marge. I'll help you get through this if you'll let me."

"Yes….someone to support me, oh yes. Dear, that would be such a lovely change." Marge rushed out, giving Judy a quick little hug.

She pulled away, then asked her, "You can help me, can't you? It's…you've been here all along, and well….I just never thought to ask you to help me, Judy. You're so trim and I do admire your willpower. Perhaps even after the party you can help pinpoint what I may be doing to sabotage my diet?"

Judy smiled and simultaneously, the small flock of sparrows blended in singing again. All was well in the Garden of Friends.

Does this story sound a bit like you or perhaps, someone you know? A friend to support you through your diet may be just what you need to excel you past the finish line to success.

Please, NEVER GIVE UP. Weight loss is achievable. You are worth it.

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