How are you approaching December?

At this time last year, I had been half heartedly trying to lose weight for many months without success. I was tired of it. I was tired of keeping track of what I ate. Tired of having to restrict foods I liked. Tired of the inevitable results on the scale every time I slipped and ate (or binged on) something I shouldn't have.

It was December. The holidays. I wanted to do Christmas baking and eat it too. I wanted to make and decorate a gingerbread house (and you have to sample those candies to make sure they aren't poisoned, after all). I wanted to enjoy pie (one of each kind, of course) with Christmas dinner, birthday cake for my birthday (Dec 28), wine at parties, and ollie bollen (a dutch tradition - deep fried dough, kind of like fritters) at New Years.

So, I made a choice. I made a choice to let myself. To do it all. To live it up. It was to be a last dinner, except it was a month of last dinners. I sure ate to prove it. In that one month, I added an extra 10 pounds to my already obese frame.

Was it worth it?

Well, I don't believe in regretting the past, since that's what makes you the person you are now. So, in some ways, I suppose it was. It taught me a lot about myself: what I am made of, what I can handle. When I started in January, I did start with a new determination and a new purpose.

Would it be worth it now?

No.

I have worked too hard to get to where I am now. Interestingly, my biggest reason for keeping on track has changed. It's not so much to avoid the 10 pound weight gain I had in this month last year. Moreso, if I go nuts, my running, swimming and biking will suffer. Big time. I know that a month of no activity coupled with ridiculous food intake will set me back months in my training. I know that stopping my running now and eating Christmas cookies every day may kill my chance of doing a half marathon in the spring. Or my Olympic triathlon in the fall.

I am not willing to give that all up. I want it a lot more then I want those cookies.

Some people are great with moderation. I am not some people. Christmas is also a day, not a month. There is no good reason why most days should be treated like every other day. No reason for excessive serving sizes and desserts with every meal.

My strategy for this month? It's to treat most days like a regular day. To eat healthy foods in reasonable portion sizes. Even Christmas dinner can be healthy. Turkey is actually a pretty good protein choice. All the side dishes are optional both in whether to have them and in what quantities. I can do crafts with my kids instead of baking. If I do choose to have a treat, it will never be on an empty stomach and it will be a very small serving. Better yet, I'll steal a bite or two from my husband and call it a day.

Activity? I like something I read just recently. It was along the lines of: stop saying you don't have time to fit a work out in. Start asking yourself how you are going to make the time.

How are you approaching the holidays?