Post Holidays Adjustment

I typically take some time off between Christmas and the end of the year. Time off from work should mean more time to exercise and cook healthy meals. Instead, the disruption in my regular schedule results in less of these things. For example, I get most of my exercise by running a couple of days a week over my lunch hour. When I'm not working, there is no reason to sacrifice lunch for running. Theoretically, I could do both. Instead, the unstructured days start late and involve much lounging and munching. Meals fall victim to group laziness, occurring at irregular intervals with ease of preparation given more weight than healthfulness when selecting dishes.

Speaking of more weight, this sloth-like lifestyle combined with an abundance of holiday treats resulted in me adding a few pounds to my already ample midsection. Oh, I tried to be good, telling myself that I would focus on the veggie tray instead of the cookies. But I can get veggies any time of the year. Christmas cookies are only available at, well, Christmas. How bad can it be, really? It's not a long term relationship. The Christmas cookies are just a fling. I'll return, hat in hand, to the carrots and celery after the holidays.

And so, here we are, after the holidays. The extra weight and the week off have left me feeling out of shape. I go to the Y and it's busier than normal, folks trying to keep new resolutions, no doubt. They look at me and I'm sure they think I'm also a newcomer. I feel like a newcomer as I huff and puff around the track, belly jiggling with each heavy footfall. I want to tell these new faces that I'm not like them, that I'm a regular, in it for the long haul.

Yes, I could tell them all that I regularly work out. I could show them the fine physique that they too could have by dedicating themselves to a consistent exercise schedule. That should clear them out by February.