Is It Tomorrow Yet?

Well, it’s crunch time.  No, not the kind that tone your abs, the kind that gets all the Christmas things accomplished.  The last week before the jolly red man sneaks into your house, eats his Christmas cookies (sure it’s okay for him to indulge in the season), drinks the obligatory glass of milk (I think he carries brandy in his Santa sack and spikes the milk every couple of houses or so) leaves the gifts and disappears up the chimney.

By about this time I’d like to be the one that disappears up the chimney.

But, I can finally say I am ready.  No more malls, no more baking and no more wrapping.  I’m good to go!  Tonight is the last Christmas function on my calendar aside from the actual Day itself.  And before you ask, no … I have not gotten any further on my virtual walk.  But December 26^th is going to see me make a dent in it.  Since I mapped it out I have accomplished 12.5 km of walking and 5 km of biking, for a total of 17.5 km.  Like I said, I have barely made it out of my neighbourhood.

Monday evening’s TOPS weigh-in was better than last week though.  I did see the scale go down one pound.  I am always tempted to say ONLY one pound, but each pound is one step closer to goal and there is not such thing as ONLY one pound.

Since my TOPS group meets on Monday nights we find that we lose many meetings to long weekends and stat holidays.  Generally when the group goes two weeks without a meeting the next weigh-in is not the best.  It’s difficult to stay on track when you know you do not have to be accountable for two weeks.  It’s easy to think, “oh, it’s all right if I overdo a little … I’ll be extra good tomorrow”.  That works if you stay within the one treat rule, but if you know you don’t have to step onto that scale for an extra week one treat (for the whole week) turns into one day of treats and then two and before you know it it’s the night before the next weigh-in and the diet gods have turned their collective backs on you.  No magic is going to help you then.  Trust me … I’ve been there.

I’ll be good tomorrow is not a truth in the world of weight-loss.  When you are dieting the time to stick to it is NOW because tomorrow never comes.  All those best intentions you come up with as you are drifting off to sleep at night fly out the door with the first bite of breakfast the next morning.

But I am getting a little side tracked here.  Back to TOPS and no meetings … because of the calendar this year Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve fall both fall on a Monday night.  That means (gasp) we go three weeks without facing the scale.  That’s a tough one.  We had a nice group discussion about realistic expectations.  Yes, you may overindulge A LITTLE on Christmas day … but the holiday is only ONE DAY.  It’s not the whole week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.  If you enjoy your dinner a little too much, what do we say?  Forgive yourself.  Do not beat yourself up.  Do not let that ruin the rest of the week.

I gave them a challenge.  We do pay monthly fees, in our group it is $6.00 a month (the money goes in a kitty for recognition awards, etc).  The challenge was any group member that weighs in on January 7^th and posts a loss receives one month of free dues.  Not a stay the same … a loss!  It’s three weeks people … anyone can lose some amount in three weeks!  Even a quarter of a pound will keep those $6.00 in your pocket.  Okay it’s probably not about the money but it certainly is about the bragging rights.  And I’m the group leader and I set the challenge so, boy oh boy, I had better show up with a loss.  I’ll be sure and keep you posted.

I'm off to my company Christmas dinner now ... it's a buffet ... arrrgghhhh ... wish me luck!

That’s about it for this post but I’ll leave you with a little song …

Don’t worry, I’m not going to sing … I may have many hidden talents, but that is NOT one of them.  But hey, certainly feel free to belt it out if it makes you happy!

To the tune of ‘Let It Snow’ (I found this on line and do not know the original source.  If it’s you, let me know and I will give credit where credit is due)

‘Tis the season of things delicious,

Foods and goodies that bewitch us.

We give diets the old heave-ho.

And we grow, and we grow, and we grow.

We start strong, but then we weaken,

And before long, we start freakin’.

We step on the scales, and go,

“Can’t be so!  Can’t be so!  Can’t be so!”