Home, really sweet, home
Did you know I'm from Springfield, Illinois? Yep, the good ol' Land of Lincoln. Home of Lincoln's home, Lincoln's tomb, and, um, that might be about it. Seriously though, it is a good, family oriented Midwestern town. If I wanted to enjoy summers of miserable humidity, and winters of constant gray and ice storms, I'd totally move there in a heartbeat.
Every year for Memorial Day weekend, my family heads east to enjoy time with extended family, and, for my husband, to play in an annual golf tournament that he loves. It's always nice to see my in-laws and childhood friends, take flowers to my mom and grandparents at local cemeteries, drive by my old favorite spots (which now seem so changed), and, oh yes, I can't forget this, eat.
It's something you notice the minute you get off the plane in St. Louis: People are just fatter in the Midwest. And it isn't because they're lazy or don't want to take care of themselves. It is just easy to be fat there. I should know this, I was 237 pounds at one time when I lived there.
Why?
Food. It often seems that the only food in the Midwest is comfort food. Restaurant portions are huge, and don't even bother asking for a gluten-free menu. "A what menu? What's gluten?" And vegetarianism - oh, don't go there. "You don't eat meat?! How do you get your protein?" This is the land of meat and potatoes, the Horseshoe, and the Gooey Butter Cake. Delicious? Yes. Good for you? No way.
Exercise. Most days of the year, forget about exercising in the great outdoors. All summer, you'll face sweltering temperatures, thick humidity, and frequent tornado sirens. All winter, frigid temperatures and a non-existent sun. Mother nature makes it easy to skip the outdoor exertion and stay nicely nestled on a comfy couch. And if you do decide to head outside, you'd better bring some upbeat tunes, because your view of endless cornfields isn't exactly inspirational.
Since we've been in Springfield, about five days now, I've consumed more calories than I typically would in twice the time. Like I said: It's so easy to be fat in the Midwest. I honestly don't know how anyone stays thin living there. Lucky for my waistline, we're going back to Colorado (the fittest state in the nation), tomorrow.
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Disclaimer: For all of my awesome Midwest friends - please don't take this post personally. I love you, and I love Springfield. I just couldn't live there again without gaining about 100 pounds.
Every year for Memorial Day weekend, my family heads east to enjoy time with extended family, and, for my husband, to play in an annual golf tournament that he loves. It's always nice to see my in-laws and childhood friends, take flowers to my mom and grandparents at local cemeteries, drive by my old favorite spots (which now seem so changed), and, oh yes, I can't forget this, eat.
It's something you notice the minute you get off the plane in St. Louis: People are just fatter in the Midwest. And it isn't because they're lazy or don't want to take care of themselves. It is just easy to be fat there. I should know this, I was 237 pounds at one time when I lived there.
Why?
Food. It often seems that the only food in the Midwest is comfort food. Restaurant portions are huge, and don't even bother asking for a gluten-free menu. "A what menu? What's gluten?" And vegetarianism - oh, don't go there. "You don't eat meat?! How do you get your protein?" This is the land of meat and potatoes, the Horseshoe, and the Gooey Butter Cake. Delicious? Yes. Good for you? No way.
Exercise. Most days of the year, forget about exercising in the great outdoors. All summer, you'll face sweltering temperatures, thick humidity, and frequent tornado sirens. All winter, frigid temperatures and a non-existent sun. Mother nature makes it easy to skip the outdoor exertion and stay nicely nestled on a comfy couch. And if you do decide to head outside, you'd better bring some upbeat tunes, because your view of endless cornfields isn't exactly inspirational.
Since we've been in Springfield, about five days now, I've consumed more calories than I typically would in twice the time. Like I said: It's so easy to be fat in the Midwest. I honestly don't know how anyone stays thin living there. Lucky for my waistline, we're going back to Colorado (the fittest state in the nation), tomorrow.
___________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: For all of my awesome Midwest friends - please don't take this post personally. I love you, and I love Springfield. I just couldn't live there again without gaining about 100 pounds.
Oh, hon, I can totally understand that!! My sister lived in Arkansas for a while and when my husband and I visited (we were living in southern califoria at the time) we totally felt out of place and part of it was the weight issue. Although I hate to say it... I would probably fit in better if I visited today (those extra 20 pounds I'm carrying around would help!)
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