Appreciating the season...

2 weeks!  It is only 2 weeks until Christmas.  Wow - everything feels so rushed this year!

Are you taking time to appreciate the season?  I really hope so!  I am struggling with this myself.

When I was on my journey downwards, I do feel that I missed out some on appreciating the season.  Why?  Because I was SO focused on WHAT I could/would eat!  How many "challenges" I would face.  Being angry at myself if I went off plan.  In fact, I almost feel that at times I missed out on enjoying the time with my family because I was so intent at looking at the food table wondering how many calories were in everything.

Last year was a little different.  It was my first Christmas in maintenance and I tried to loosen up a little.  BUT, I was worried about gaining, which of course would make me a complete and total failure in my own eyes.

This year, I decided to try something even more different.  I told myself on Monday that I was just going to relax.  I was going to eat without thinking of calories until Christmas.  I was not going to stress and if I didn't feel like working out, I was going to skip a workout.  You know how long that resolve lasted?  About 10 minutes  LOL.

Nope, I am not at the point yet where I can just chill out and - for 2 weeks - live life on the wild side.  I don't know, maybe I'll be able and willing to do it for a week.  Or maybe I'll treat this like any other month and stick rigorously to plan until Christmas Eve.

Either decision is okay.  But I want to try to enjoy family and friends completely and without reservation and I can't do that if my mind is constantly counting calories or deriding myself for minor deviations.  So I'm going to try really really hard to give myself a break and enjoy this beautiful time of year that only happens all too briefly every December.

I hope you are appreciating the season.  I hope you aren't preoccupied with thoughts of calories or whether you got the right gift for your nephew or that spot on the carpet that "everyone is going to see"!

That's not what this is about - it's about love and harmony.  

And if, at the end of it all you or I gain a couple of pounds, we'll work together to get rid of them.  I don't know how many Christmas' I have left with certain loved ones - so let's hug someone we care about today and just be glad we are together.