Shrunken classmates

I recently attended my 50th high school reunion. There were many interesting stories there, but I won’t foist them on you since you didn’t know those people. However, I did make one observation you may want to consider. Most of the people there, men especially, were shorter than I remember.

I haven’t grown a millimeter in height since high school. In fact, I’m a half inch shorter than I was then. I just had my physical so I know this for a fact. But men who used to be as tall or taller than me back then are now shorter. One of my friends who was 6’3″ in high school is now 6’1″. Several others admitted they were shorter now. There were a few men who sprouted up after high school, and a few women who “blossomed” afterward if I may be excused for what is probably a sexist term. But the vast majority of both sexes (not genders, remember!) are now fatter and shorter than they were back then.

I believe there’s a correlation there. I’m no doctor or physiologist, but I think that most of the height loss comes from the discs in the spine flattening out over time. This is exacerbated by weight gain. I’m skinny, only four or five pounds heavier than I was in high school, and all of that and more is in my legs from decades of running. In fact, my upper body is no doubt lighter than it was back then when I was on the swimming and water polo teams. I contend that is why I haven’t shrunk as much as others in my class.

So now you have one more good reason to lose weight, or at least keep from gaining more, unless of course you want to be shorter.