The Weight of Responsibility
1 Comments Published by Jason on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at 3/29/2006 10:51:00 AM.
"With great power comes great responsibility." -- Uncle Ben to Peter Parker in Spiderman
Uncle Ben forgot to add that unless you're a superhero, "with great responsibility comes great weight."
When I was single, I noticed that whenever one of my friends got married, he'd not only gain a wife but a spare tire or gut as well. Well, over the past year--nine months of which I've been married--I've tacked on around twelve pounds.
But I don't think it's matrimony that increases one's girth; it's responsibility. For example, I managed to avoid the "freshman fifteen" phenomenon in college. Beginning college poses a daunting transition for some people, but I had always been rather assiduous, so I never felt overwhelmed by the new responsibility. Also, by getting a lot of gen ed classes out of the way, I didn't spend much time studying that year. I had plenty of time for physical activity. Conversely, I trudged through my senior year under the burden of senior symposium, student teaching, Spring Sing directing, and job searching all of which led to sleep deprivation, poor eating, and little exercise. By the end of the year, I'd tacked on close to ten pounds.
I managed to trim down that summer only to head back down the Pillsbury Doughboy route my first year of teaching. (At times the first year of teaching is tantamount to being beaten repeatedly with a tube sock full of quarters then dropped in a ditch.) Following the school year, I took up running and got back to my svelt old self. For the next three years I more or less maintained the same weight. I grew comfortable teaching, continued running fairly regularly, played basketball, etc. Even once Janet and I got engaged, I still remained active.
Then I got married, and pudge reacquainted itself with my waisteline. I don't think many guys think to themselves, "Well, now that I'm married, I guess it's time to be a fatty!" It just happens. By the time you get home from work and eat dinner (which is generally a real meal now rather than a pack of Raman noodles or a few slices of cheese), you just want to enjoy the time with your wife, not work out. (It's a good thing we don't have kids. I may have put on twenty pounds by now.)
But faced with impending fatness, I've decided it's time to get off my widening behind and do something about it! Since returning from spring break, I've run seven times, going anywhere from three and a half to six miles. I'm also making a better effort to eliminate junk from my diet. Ultimately, I'm not aiming to sculpt a redoubtable physique. I just want to shred the girth I've gained and stay fit.
Uncle Ben forgot to add that unless you're a superhero, "with great responsibility comes great weight."
When I was single, I noticed that whenever one of my friends got married, he'd not only gain a wife but a spare tire or gut as well. Well, over the past year--nine months of which I've been married--I've tacked on around twelve pounds.
But I don't think it's matrimony that increases one's girth; it's responsibility. For example, I managed to avoid the "freshman fifteen" phenomenon in college. Beginning college poses a daunting transition for some people, but I had always been rather assiduous, so I never felt overwhelmed by the new responsibility. Also, by getting a lot of gen ed classes out of the way, I didn't spend much time studying that year. I had plenty of time for physical activity. Conversely, I trudged through my senior year under the burden of senior symposium, student teaching, Spring Sing directing, and job searching all of which led to sleep deprivation, poor eating, and little exercise. By the end of the year, I'd tacked on close to ten pounds.
I managed to trim down that summer only to head back down the Pillsbury Doughboy route my first year of teaching. (At times the first year of teaching is tantamount to being beaten repeatedly with a tube sock full of quarters then dropped in a ditch.) Following the school year, I took up running and got back to my svelt old self. For the next three years I more or less maintained the same weight. I grew comfortable teaching, continued running fairly regularly, played basketball, etc. Even once Janet and I got engaged, I still remained active.
Then I got married, and pudge reacquainted itself with my waisteline. I don't think many guys think to themselves, "Well, now that I'm married, I guess it's time to be a fatty!" It just happens. By the time you get home from work and eat dinner (which is generally a real meal now rather than a pack of Raman noodles or a few slices of cheese), you just want to enjoy the time with your wife, not work out. (It's a good thing we don't have kids. I may have put on twenty pounds by now.)
But faced with impending fatness, I've decided it's time to get off my widening behind and do something about it! Since returning from spring break, I've run seven times, going anywhere from three and a half to six miles. I'm also making a better effort to eliminate junk from my diet. Ultimately, I'm not aiming to sculpt a redoubtable physique. I just want to shred the girth I've gained and stay fit.
Amen brother ... I need to lose some myself ... I'm about 25 pounds heavier than I want to be. At least I'm 6'2" and carry it pretty well (at least I THINK I do). :)