By Kathleen S. Zoll
A scientific debate was recently introduced in my best friend’s home, when her son and I discussed the various fae and their historic role versus their representation in various games and movies. While Taylor and I were quite serious in our conversation, Christine asked, “So here’s what I want to know. How do pixies maintain such a healthy weight? It’s the pixie dust, isn’t it?”
So how DO pixies maintain such a healthy weight?
Well, truth be told, it’s not entirely the pixie dust.
The scientific answer naturally lies in the physical attributes of the average pixie. Most are about three to seven inches (7.6 to 15.2 cm) tall—shorter than their cousins the faeries—though some can expand to the size of a full human or animal as needed. Pixies have all human attributes in miniature form, though more modern pixies have evolved to feature spiky, pointed ears. They have always possessed wings which resemble those of a dragonfly. As in the human world, there is a great diversity within skin tones, hair types, and bone structure—yet all representations of these creatures show them as lithe, young, athletic creatures.
So how do they manage to maintain this healthy appearance? The true answer lies in the four core pillars of any natural weight loss system: Eat Smarter, Move More, Drink Water, and Get Quality Sleep.
- Eat Smarter.
We need to understand that the natural habitat of the pixie is the garden. Yes, the average home garden, just outside the door. As garden dwellers, a large part of their diet is made up of fruits, vegetables, leaves, and nuts. However, they also love their protein and feast on insects, with beetles being one of their favorite meats. About 90% of the pixie’s diet is this healthy balance of protein and carbs.
Yet we must not overlook their ever-present sweet tooth. Pixies love the occasional bites of honey, and absolutely adore a sweet treat such as cake or pie. The adage, however, has been around as long as pixies have inhabited Devon and Cornwall: all things in moderation. Those treats make up at most 10% of their eating habits, and are carefully balanced with their natural, healthier meals.
- Move More.
The dragonfly-like wings adorning a pixie’s back beat up to 1,800 times per minute! This equates to about 30 miles per hour, and translates loosely to 1,225 calories burned per hour of flight. As humans, we don’t come close to that kind of energy expenditure.
Further, factor in their basic personalities. Pixies are playful, generous characters. These lively creatures love to hold all-night dance parties and celebrations, and nothing pleases them more than looking for ways to bless their humans. As avid gardeners, they guarantee their humans’ lands flourish—as long as people treat them with respect. If you dare cross a pixie, you best believe they expend all that same energy in crossing you back!
- Drink Water.
Naturally with that level of activity, pixies require constant hydration. They frequently drink from dewdrops, though they are known to favor water with a bit of honey mixed in. Thus the reason pixie rings are located in areas which gather moisture naturally. There currently exists a myth, based on the movie “Elf” (starring Will Ferrell), stating as elves and pixies are closely related, pixies must live on hot chocolate with marshmallows. The logical problem with this is pixies and elves are entirely different creatures! Another article will explore the less-than-healthy indulgences of the much larger—and occasionally tubby—elves.
- Get Quality Sleep.
Pixies are mainly nocturnal, sleeping during the day and staying active during the night. They guarantee their quality sleep by resting in burrows deep underground. This enables them to have a cool and dark environment, free of outside noises. These fae create comfortable beds for themselves out of grass clippings and softer leaves, often using flower petals for comfortable blankets. This deep sleep rejuvenates them and gives pixies the energy they need.
Summary
In short, these beautiful little fae have so much to teach us about being healthy humans, which is perfectly in line with their generous and caring personalities. So, get some rest, bless others, balance your meals, have some fun—and, for good measure, sprinkle a bit of pixie dust on your scale!
Kathleen S. Zoll is an active contributor to the Philadelphia Writers’ Meetup, a Zoom-room coordinator in the Pitch to Published online writers’ community, and an avid member of the Author’s Guild. She has a habit of scripting her interactions with others and is often stunned when they respond incorrectly. She brings her personal experiences to each character she creates, whether that’s practicing an old religion or living as a neurodiverse goddess. She is actively seeking an agent for her fantasy and romance novels.
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