Holiday Survival Mode

I told Bennie (my m-in-law) a couple of weeks ago that the "Average American" gains 7 pounds from Thanksgiving till New Year's. SEVEN pounds. For me, that's an entire dress size (and a half!). I've been doing great lately, but ever since Thanksgiving, things have not been going well. Andy was home all week and weekend (a first) and my normal eating patterns (read: healthy) were thrown all out of whack. Before this morning, I hadn't run since last Wednesday, and I hadn't exercised since Friday, when I did weights. No run + holiday food = two words = JELLY BELLY. Nooooooooo! I felt it this morning as I started to run and it did NOT feel good! Luckily, it's still early and certainly not too late to reverse the damage.

I've decided that I have to create some rules and abide by them if I'm going to get through the holidays without turning into the "Average American" and on my way to Goodwill to reclaim my size 4 jeans. So:

Rule #1: Only plain black decaf coffee (maybe a sprinkle of cocoa or two) when we're out around town. Andy and I have a bad habit of buying Starbucks whenever we go out. Actually, he's quite addicted and I'm just an enabler. And inevitably, as I hold my decaf skinny mocha, my brain starts crunching the numbers: 160 calories + no run = jelly belly. Yikes. But usually, I drink it anyway. No more. I don't care if it is the holidays.

Rule #2: Only two small squares of dark chocolate after dinner. No rice pudding, pumpkin cake, egg nog (damn those egg nog manufacturers!!!!), chocolate truffles, ice cream, etc. etc. I don't care if it is the holidays.

Rule #3: Let Andy eat most of the dessert. Or better yet, skip it! We rarely go out to eat, so when we do, it's hard to resist dessert. Of course we feel sick immediately thereafter, but it never seems to deter us. We'll save it for our anniversary.

Holiday survival mode has officially begun!