Monday, December 27, 2010

Holidays Are Tough!

This time of year is particularly brutal for those of us trying to mind what we eat, and maybe shed a few pounds. Just looking at the endless treats with butter as their main ingredient (seriously - - take a look around the table...it is in EVERYTHING!) will make your waistline expand! I just send up a thank you to the wonderful person who started putting spandex in all pants and jeans, and I count myself lucky to be hitting this holiday season while in one of my "motivated" streaks. If any of you are like me - you have periods where it is nearly painless to eat well and get your rear to the gym, and others where it might take a firing line to get you to do it.

For the last couple of months there has been little or no question that I will head to the gym 6 days a week. Not counting my 4 sick days, where breathing was an effort rather than a right, I have been diligent. A few weeks ago I added "Phase 2" (eating healthy) to my plan - and it would seem the experts are correct. The weight has been coming off. Somewhat quickly. I lost 10 pounds in like 2.5 weeks. That is pretty good for me, and is probably playing a pretty significant role in my ability to stay on track. Success breeds success? I think so. 

Like most people who are trying to adjust themselves to their, still somewhat new, healthy lifestyle - it can be stressful to be out of your element for any amount of time. I have been back home for over a week now. Staying with my parents or one of my sisters. Trying to not completely take over their space, while simultaneously taking care of myself. It is tough! I have great friends who have taken me to the gym with them, so at least that part is easy. But as usual, what I am throwing down my pie hole is the biggest issue. Food is always my biggest challenge. (Pizza still calls to me in the night, and he is a persuasive little guy!) But my family has been super-supportive, and even allowed me to make a "light" meal for our Christmas gathering. (I think we may have started a new "healthy" tradition!) I am still a total spaz in the kitchen, but I have realized it isn't as difficult as I've been making it. I am just a person that needs to prep everything before I start, otherwise I get overwhelmed in a hurry.

My goal for this holiday is simple: eat the things I truly enjoy, and give myself a break. I tend to beat myself up because I ate more than my daily calorie intake goal allows. It is two days. Two days is nothing. (The problems start when I turn that into two weeks!) I am going for a guilt-free holiday season, and I think I've done well enough this week for my brain to agree to that.

Monday is back to reality. Back to the gym. Back to vegetables. I hope you all had a great holiday season! Now let's buckle back down! =)

4 comments:

  1. There is a big resemblance between my body and yours. I think your elephant may be a little larger than my mastodon but not by much. But at 65 the work is much harder than it used to be. Keep up the good work and I'll keep reading and maybe we can both work ourselves down a bit. I think you are doing great and I really enjoy your blog.

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  2. I hopped on the scale this morning, and was shocked by the numbers I saw there, and started to call myself (not nice) names, and then something just clicked. I just remembered my decision not to fret about the holidays and your nice, supportive words and I stopped beating myself up. I had a few days of eating crap and not exercising, but it's over. Time to get back to eating healthy and moving, and nothing terrible happened. Thank you Natalie, you helped me a great lot this morning :-) (Would you have thought you can help someone, while sleeping in your bed, ha? Sensatalie to the rescue! ;-)))

    Lia

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  3. Sounds like you're doing great and staying on track, Nat! Good for you! I can't think of a better way to start off the New Year! Happy holidays!

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  4. Exactly right! Give yourself a break. Two days of eating naughty foods won't hurt anyone. Besides, cookies made with butter are worth the calories, especially if you only have a few. :) My favorite are the butter cookies.

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