It’s that time of year again, can you believe it? No, it’s not that time again when I write a new blog entry (yes, I know I’ve been a bit quiet since early fall!), but rather it’s that time of year to get ready for the holidays. So much has happened since I last sent out an update it’s hard to know where to start.
For most of you, my loyal readers (all 2 of you), you are probably wanting to know how the weight loss is going. I am happy to say that I am still keeping active and slowly shedding the pounds. In September and part of October I “fell off the wagon” so to speak when I was doing a lot of traveling. It’s so easy when you travel to overeat and to stop being active. Hotel gyms are usually sparsely equipped, and after a long day of taking care of business it’s all I could do to just fall into bed and fall asleep watching Letterman.
However, I’ve fallen off the horse many times and each time I pick myself right back up. That’s the most important part of any fitness program. When you take a step back, that is OK. You don’t need to beat yourself up every time you put on a pound or two. Overall fitness means that you will fluctuate, and you may put on some pounds now and then, but in the long run you are still maintaining your workout and healthy eating goals.
Of course, with the holidays upon us it’s a real challenge for many of us to stay healthy. What with all the pies, cookies, cakes, holiday candy and fudge that seem to be teasing us everywhere we go. My advice? Enjoy it in moderation. The absolute worst thing you can do is deny yourself these treats. Because if you do then you are setting yourself up for failure. It’s just like any fad diet – if you deny yourself something that you like, you are going to fail. Plain and simple. The problem is when you fail, you fail harder (and usually eat way more) than you would have if you just ate the foods in the first place.
Again, I’m not saying to run out and eat every piece of pecan pie or homemade fudge that you find. What I am saying is to enjoy them as a treat this holiday season on occasion and know that when you do then you need to cut back in other areas. When I know I’m going to a holiday party I cut back on other meals during the day. I may just have a bananna and a piece of toast in the morning, for example instead of an egg-white muffin and a bowl of cereal. Just remember – what you do, don’t skip meals! That is the worst thing you can do for your metabolism.
And now for the rest of the story…
With the holidays approaching many of you know that the economy is still very fragile. Unfortunately, I know many people who are still trying to find work. Things are looking a little better, but we have a long way to go. With that in mind I’ve decided to setup a holiday challenge to not only get me more active in keeping the blog up to date, but also to share some tips that can help you have a great holiday season without spending a fortune.
There are so many things you can do for the holidays that don’t cost a lot – or are just plain out free. Christmas has become, unfortunately, a time where we forget about spending time with family and friends and focus way too often on gifts. So from now until Christmas I am going to post an article each day about how to spruce up your home, make homemade holiday treats, and decorate on a budget. Check back here bright and early on November 18th for the first post. I look forward to your feedback on each of them. I think it’s going to be a great project and I’m excited!
So welcome back readers – let’s get ready for a great holiday season! Together, there is nothing we all can’t do together!