Sayonara Halloween... See you next year!
Okay… let’s all say it together. HALLOWEEN SUCKS!!! Well,
not really. I actually really enjoy Halloween. I have a lot of fun with it now
that I have kids. We start planning costumes in July, yet somehow I still
manage to procrastinate until I’m sewing on the final touches the night before
their school parties. Hmmm… Anyway, here are this year's costumes. :)
But I digress. I once heard on the radio that Halloween is the kickoff to 5 months of sweet treat madness. Five months?!? How is that? Well, we kick it off with loads and loads of Halloween candy. Next up… Thanksgiving with it’s yummy pumpkin pies and apple pies and chocolate pies – OH MY! In our family we mix the first and third and my sister-in-law makes an amazing pumpkin pie with a layer of chocolate ganache…. AHHHHHH!!! Wow! You can’t tell that my mind is still overwhelmed by sugar and carbs can you? Anyway, after Thanksgiving we start our rituals of baking… cookies, bars, fudge… It’s a wonder we don’t all gain 20 pounds by Christmas Day!
Those are the obvious first two months of the sugar/carb frenzy. Janauary we’re all recovering and finishing the last of the Christmas goodies after our New Year’s festivities, but then we wrap up the month with Super Bowl Parties here, there and everywhere - more goodies and treats. Bring on February, Valentine’s Day and MORE CHOCOLATE!! Are we done yet?? Nope! Last but not least… March. {Enter Easter Bunny stage right} More chocolate, jelly beans, and those evil Reeses eggs!
Crazy isn’t it? Is it any wonder people gain weight during the colder months? Not only is it a bit more of a struggle to be as active with kids back in school, their afterschool activities and colder weather just making us want to hunker down, but add in all of the above and you have the perfect equation for personal sabotage.
I’ve already been experiencing too much of that equation. I haven’t run in a month, but I registered for an all-women’s race this weekend and am running with my mom and best friend. The Halloween candy has been pinning me down and jumping into my mouth every chance it gets. It finally got it’s official eviction from my house this morning. And I find myself wanting to make warm, hearty meals – so I’m forcing myself to find healthier versions of some of my favorites. I refuse to be a victim of cold weather and holiday goodies. Everything in moderation right?? Honestly, I have no excuses. I was weak – I wanted it, so I ate it… plain and simple. The best part is that the next step is completely in my control. Keep eating crap or get back on track and focus on my goals?
Unfortunately, last week’s success on the scale may very well be met with a little stumble this week. But I made my choice… Today is my first day back on track since that horrible Halloween night last week. I’m back on track and that’s all that matters. I could just decide to chuck it all because I had a few bad days, but with the list I posted above, I don’t think that’s the smartest choice. Chances are that I won’t just gain back what I lost, but oh so much more! I’m not saying I won’t eat another piece of candy, or a slice of pie, or indulge in some of the cookies we will bake next month. I am saying that I’m not giving up. I’m picking myself up and dusting off after losing the last round. I may take many more beatings along the way, but I’m stubborn enough to keep getting up and trying again.
Challenges and temptations are everywhere. It’s how we handle them that defines who we are. If you had a bad day, week or month… so what?! If you choose to dust off and keep going, then it doesn’t matter what happened before, it only matters what you decide to do right now. Food, exercise, how we treat our bodies… it’s all in our control. I have been so inspired the past several months by many of my friends who have decided to take control and their successes are so much bigger than the total number of pounds lost!
So, here’s to the holiday season… may our willpower be strong and our temptations be few. Enjoy your family and friends and even allow yourself to indulge from time to time. One bad day does not undo months of hard work. J
My two girls out trick or treating
All 4 of our kiddos - a bat, a puppy, Mickey Mouse & Smurfette (+1 - my niece is in the green hair) and a close up of our puppy. LOL
But I digress. I once heard on the radio that Halloween is the kickoff to 5 months of sweet treat madness. Five months?!? How is that? Well, we kick it off with loads and loads of Halloween candy. Next up… Thanksgiving with it’s yummy pumpkin pies and apple pies and chocolate pies – OH MY! In our family we mix the first and third and my sister-in-law makes an amazing pumpkin pie with a layer of chocolate ganache…. AHHHHHH!!! Wow! You can’t tell that my mind is still overwhelmed by sugar and carbs can you? Anyway, after Thanksgiving we start our rituals of baking… cookies, bars, fudge… It’s a wonder we don’t all gain 20 pounds by Christmas Day!
Those are the obvious first two months of the sugar/carb frenzy. Janauary we’re all recovering and finishing the last of the Christmas goodies after our New Year’s festivities, but then we wrap up the month with Super Bowl Parties here, there and everywhere - more goodies and treats. Bring on February, Valentine’s Day and MORE CHOCOLATE!! Are we done yet?? Nope! Last but not least… March. {Enter Easter Bunny stage right} More chocolate, jelly beans, and those evil Reeses eggs!
Crazy isn’t it? Is it any wonder people gain weight during the colder months? Not only is it a bit more of a struggle to be as active with kids back in school, their afterschool activities and colder weather just making us want to hunker down, but add in all of the above and you have the perfect equation for personal sabotage.
I’ve already been experiencing too much of that equation. I haven’t run in a month, but I registered for an all-women’s race this weekend and am running with my mom and best friend. The Halloween candy has been pinning me down and jumping into my mouth every chance it gets. It finally got it’s official eviction from my house this morning. And I find myself wanting to make warm, hearty meals – so I’m forcing myself to find healthier versions of some of my favorites. I refuse to be a victim of cold weather and holiday goodies. Everything in moderation right?? Honestly, I have no excuses. I was weak – I wanted it, so I ate it… plain and simple. The best part is that the next step is completely in my control. Keep eating crap or get back on track and focus on my goals?
Unfortunately, last week’s success on the scale may very well be met with a little stumble this week. But I made my choice… Today is my first day back on track since that horrible Halloween night last week. I’m back on track and that’s all that matters. I could just decide to chuck it all because I had a few bad days, but with the list I posted above, I don’t think that’s the smartest choice. Chances are that I won’t just gain back what I lost, but oh so much more! I’m not saying I won’t eat another piece of candy, or a slice of pie, or indulge in some of the cookies we will bake next month. I am saying that I’m not giving up. I’m picking myself up and dusting off after losing the last round. I may take many more beatings along the way, but I’m stubborn enough to keep getting up and trying again.
Challenges and temptations are everywhere. It’s how we handle them that defines who we are. If you had a bad day, week or month… so what?! If you choose to dust off and keep going, then it doesn’t matter what happened before, it only matters what you decide to do right now. Food, exercise, how we treat our bodies… it’s all in our control. I have been so inspired the past several months by many of my friends who have decided to take control and their successes are so much bigger than the total number of pounds lost!
So, here’s to the holiday season… may our willpower be strong and our temptations be few. Enjoy your family and friends and even allow yourself to indulge from time to time. One bad day does not undo months of hard work. J
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