Christmas Confessions

As you already know, I love Christmas. It's my favorite time of year. If I could move to the North Pole and live with the Clauses, I would. The only problem is, all the joy and cheerfulness always comes with one little problem: the FOOD. This is always the time of year when I get the mentality that "Christmas calories don't count" (as I saw so craftily painted on a cookie platter at Cracker Barrel recently). I cook and bake more, and I sit my booty on the couch with something delicious and munch, and munch, and munch some more.

Now, if you are one of those people who is lucky enough not to have to count your calories, please take a moment and thank the good Lord for your good genes. I most definitely do not fall into that category. Since I was young, it has been a struggle to keep that number on the scale in a healthy range. And it sure doesn't help that I love to eat - especially sweet things, and especially during the holiday season! It's hard to find that balance where you can still enjoy the things you love, and not overdo it. I'm thinking the secret is either moderation, or exercise, or maybe a combination of both.

So, why am I sharing this little confession with all of my blog readers? So glad you asked. Well, I have found in the past that when I let others in on these types of things, I am more likely to follow through and be accountable. Know what I mean?

Since no time is better than the present, I'm not going to pull my usual "Well, I'll start doing such-and-such on Monday, blah blah blah" deal. I'm starting with right now, today. My original plan was to take my dog, Ellie, on a walk around the neighborhood this afternoon (Daisy, my little girl, can't quite handle the chilly weather for long, so she gets most of her exercise inside), but then it started raining, and who wants to walk in the rain? Not this girl. So, I think Plan B will be to bring out the Tae-Bo DVD that has been gathering dust for the past however-many months since I last used it.

This time around, I'm leaving the "d" word out of it, because I hate the whole "diet" mentality, where you kick your butt for a temporary length of time, and then finally break down and go nuts, falling right back into your old habits again. I'm still going to enjoy the holidays, and sample all the things I love; I just don't want to gain all the weight back that I've lost over the past couple years (about 20 pounds, give or take a few). I want to be healthy and happy, at the same time.

Aristotle was on to something when he said, "Everything in moderation." From here on out, I'm going to do my best to live up to that motto, and not overdo it during the remainder of the Christmas season. Sprinkle in a little exercise, and hopefully I won't kick off the new year by making yet another health-related resolution.

Who's with me?!