Wednesday, August 24, 2011

I Don't Even Have A Title For This...

Yesterday I was at the gym as usual, trying to briskly walk/jog on the treadmill with Beyonce's "freakum dress" playing in my ears. It wasn't until the tenth minute of my routine that I noticed I had an audience of one. The lady had been watching me move as she nodded her head in what seemed to be.... approval? Wow! I thought the gym was for exercising and not staring. Anyways, I ignored her and continued my workout till I was done.

Now get this, as I was taking a breather this lady walks towards me and asks, "Are you trying to lose weight?" Duhhhh!  Now, anyone who really knows me would know that my weight is usually a sensitive issue to discuss. However, I looked at her and answered in the affirmative. That was when she decided to lecture me on garlic and weight loss.

Lady: E se se wo wri garlic no anopa ne anadwo. Na eba ma wo a ni saaa..... Srade ni nyinaa be pue

Me: (Surprised) Saa?

Lady: Shwee! Wo be ko toiret papa!

Now, for those who didn't get my poor twi, here's the translation.

Lady: You need to chew garlic in the mornings and evening. It will make you pass a lot of stool and all the fat will be excreted.

Me: Really?

Lady: Shwee... you will go to toiret (toilet) papa!

Only God knows how I was able to prevent myself from laughing. The interesting thing was that the lady who tried to prescribe the garlic remedy to me was overweight and, she was not a member of the gym (I asked). Perhaps she hasn't been visiting the loo as often as she should. After all, e be ma wo a ni saa!


* Forgive me if you find my language unpolished.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Random Thoughts on Childhood Obesity in Ghana.

As I struggled with my 6th rep of the second set of sit-ups (which I dread with a passion), she walked in. I gasped as my body was stuck in mid-air. She was probably 12 or 13 years but had the largest love handles (or folds if you are blunt) I've ever seen. People stared as she struggled to get on the stationary bike and pedal the fat away.  I actually felt sorry for her. I didn't even want to imagine what she goes through in school... the jokes at her expense and mean comments that may be made by the other kids. hmmm...

That got me thinking, why do parents allow their kids to put on too much weight? Is it as a result of our crazy lifestyles that make it impossible to know what our kids are eating when we are not around? Or, is it that we just give them too much of the junk? Did I forget to add the Playstations that make it impossible for them to consider real soccer over PC soccer?

At least, her parents decided to do something and send her to the gym. How about those who still think their children will grow out of the fat? Have you noticed the number of obese kids on our streets. The last time I was at the Accra Mall, I saw more than five fat kids in thirty minutes. Michelle Obama is doing something about this in the United States... What are we doing in Ghana?


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