Christmas Fever and the Vanity Pounds

I have Christmas fever again. That means that everything other than caring for my family, connecting with friends, going to work, and preparing for Christmas takes a back seat. When my children were younger, I thought Christmas Fever was a short term thing. I thought it's onset was due to my daughter's dance schedule during Christmas, in combination with the need to keep the magic of Santa alive, which both take some effort and energy! But my 14 year old daughter quit dance in January, and the Santa mystique is no longer an issue, yet here I am again. So much to do and not enough time.  The good news is that it is fun and all worth it. Helping to make memories! Why miss the chance to do everything possible to show my family and friends how much I care at this time? How can I miss the opportunity to create some fun? These opportunities don't come along every day.

Thanksgiving kicks off the holidays and demands enough attention to require at least two weeks of my spare time. Starting with the lists! There are lists to make and re-make. So many lists!!!!

There are new recipes to think about trying. Variations on classics? Should I try to make that cute table setting that looks like it might be easy enough to make? There is Black Friday (which is not for everyone) but can be fun (watch out for that crazy lady with the pepper spray going for the XBox)! There are presents to order or buy and wrap. There are greeting cards to create! There are decorations to put up. There are goodies to bake. There are friends to catch up with, who are also off of work for a few days. There are holiday performances to go to. There is traveling to do, or visitors to host. Regardless of what you choose to focus on and to do, there is more to focus on and more to do than you can do.

Besides the fact that it's all just flat out fun, the good news is that changing your routine is frequently good when you are trying to lose a few pounds. It can really help you understand some of those habits that keep you from taking weight off. It seems counterintuitive to think that holidays can be a good time to lose a few pounds but think about it.  

1. If you are transporting kids to special events in the evenings you are away from home and not home mindlessly grabbing a few snacks. That can make a difference. 
2. If you are busy shopping, it is easy to skip lunch or just grab something little to tide you over. 
3. If you are busy shopping, walking all around the mall or shopping centers for a few hours is probably as much exercise as most people get during a trip the gym. I am not kidding. If you move constantly for a few hours---and who can shop for less than a few hours---- even if you are not running, you'll burn major calories.  
4. If you have fun meals to look forward to, it is easy to give up a few snacks or meals in anticipation of that meal. 
5. Then when you have that meal you can either relax and not worry about calories, or be a little more particular and deliberately savor each bite. Most of it will be excellent and not all of it will be so caloric. You can eat a lot of green bean casserole without worrying about a thing. 
6. You probably have a few days off sometime around the holidays so it is easy to find time for an extra run or trip to the gym. 
7. It is far easier to maintain good habits when you are very busy, and there is no time like the holidays to stay busy. So don't necessarily assume that you are fated to put on 5 pounds because it is the holidays.  That's the bright side. 
8. On the other hand, don't worry if you do.  The other bright side is that gaining a few pounds is an excellent opportunity to practice recovering from a lapse, and recovery and maintenance is what it is all about.