Muffin Tops: The Edible and the Inevitable

Mmm. Muffins. Love them. The earliest memory I have of these delicious mini cakes was during a sleepover at my sweet Aunt Jane's. I was twelve, and my sweet tooth was aching for a treat! We baked up a batch, (okay, not from scratch), but from a mix, which, a kind faced, culinary Quaker was selling. How convenient!

Fluffy and moist on the inside and crispy on top! Now here's the crunch: since then, these tops have become so popular that manufacturers have produced pans just for them!

Bakeries, factories, and deli/cafes tempt our taste buds with these 'top' sellers, catering to our cravings with their crusty and cuteness appeal!

But, as trendy as its edible namesake may be, the other muffin top, is definitely not! Dreaded, despised and difficult to disguise, it is, unfortunately, inevitable, for some ladies, (like me)!

Wikipedia defines this jelly belly as, ''overhanging fat that spills over the waistline of pants or skirts like the top of a muffin spilling over its paper casing''.  Now, this is not to be confused with the English muffin, 'a small, round, flat type of yeast-leavened bread' explains the same source.

Why, oh why, wasn't this type of muffin used as a model for us who are morphing through the madness of  (peri) menopausal stress?

 Why?!!!

Ahem...sorry about that...Someone please get me a muffin, fast! 

I need to calm down.

Thanks!

Much better... Now, where were we? Oh yes...Apparently, the term 'muffin top' originated in Australian slang in 2003. Only three years later, the catchy culprit was making headlines, receiving two coveted prizes, with the Australian Macquarie Dictionary naming it 'word of the year', and to 'top' things off, the American Dialect Society crowned it one of  ''the most creative'' new terms. 

But do all these accolades account for the fact that we should be grateful for this overflowing flab around our midriff? I wonder, should we ditch the distress of the tummy press and rejoice in our Renaissance élégance, instead?

Well, I'm sure of one thing:

if this famous, Botticelli babe

could dance and sing 

so happily and carefree,

 than so can we! 

In addition to  dancing, the following can do wonders for your waistline, as well, according to this source:

1. Exercise regularly. Try getting out for a 30-minute walk at lunchtime.

2. Eat plenty of healthy foods that are low in sugar. This will help keep your chocolate cravings at bay.

3. Drink a glass of   warm water and lemon juice in the mornings. This will help speed-up your metabolism.

4. Avoid white bread and try wholegrain bread.

5. Cut-out soft drinks.

6. Drink plenty of water.

7. Add protein to your diet.

8. Avoid carbohydrates after 7pm.

Ah, that sweet muffin top...

Nibble on the tasty 'edible'

and embrace, (but work on), the 'inevitable'!

Thanks for visiting!

All images: Google
Special thanks to Allie for last image!

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