It happened so subtly that I was caught unawares… Bit by bit … one lb. here, one lb. there and many pounds later … suddenly I am like FAT. Horrors! I have never been ‘fat’ before and say what you will, I don’t like it. I don’t, I don’t.

There were signs certainly,,, About a year ago, my skirts and jeans could no longer fit but I consoled myself. Placed the blame on the gas in my stomach causing it to bloat! On good days when the gases are released … it’s not THAT big. Or if it’s a spare tyre, so be it. Heck! Truly, it’s nothing to get excited about. Just part of the aging process.. As long as I still carry the gaunt, angular look!

Then I met a friend and of all places right at the entrance of a book shop where people were walking in and out. She gleefully looked at me and announced for one and all to hear, “Ho Mei Fong, you so fat already!!” That was only the beginning. Over and over again, I hear the same comments. “Wahh…you’ve put on!” To my ears these remarks don’t sound at all complimentary. They add up to one thing… I’m FAT!!

Being fat or its next-of-kin, plump, pudgy, chubby, was never a part of my make-up. It belonged to other people. I remember when I went on a diet of “Ensure” – a kind of formulated milk powder to help me gain weight … and it wasn’t that long ago, 2 years ? Well, it worked, didn’t it? Where have all the leanness gone???

There are some positive sides to being fleshy it seems. Grace, forever the tactful one, says “at least you don’t look so sickly now” and SP the feng shui master says if one’s face is fleshy, it brings Luck.

But I want that skinny look back. I want to be able to see where my cheeks are, not a face that is round from whichever angle you look at it!

Going on a diet doesn’t appeal to me at all and worse still, I’m a “rice” person but hah, you know what? All is not lost! My sis went and bought herself a treadmill. It was delivered on Sat. Guess who went and bought herself a new pair of sneakers (cos sister say must use new shoes) and guess who’s gonna start using it on a daily basis???

P/S. Would 15 mins daily on the tread mill suffice?? How much calories should I burn up before I see results??? F