The Turkey Day Conundrum

Ahhhhhh, the holidays are upon us. Next week we will become tubby from turkey, plump from pie, stout from stuffing, bloated from something starting with a “b”…. I think we’re done with the alliteration portion of this program. So how do you guys keep from ballooning up over the holidays? I’m accustomed to wearing elastic pants and stretching out my stomach a few days ahead of time to allow for maximum consumption. I usually make holiday eating an Olympic style event. It takes preparation and training, and then on game day, you give 110%.

So how to adapt after 27 years of bountiful Thanksgivings? I don’t see myself making “skim” versions or anything, because I still believe mashed potatoes aren’t real mashed potatoes unless you can see the butter glistening from across the room! And there are some holidays worth being fat for, but it’s that attitude that gets me in trouble in the first place. Turkey Day is my all time fave, but I think I need a happy medium between a boring and bland Thanksgiving and a holiday where I spend 3 hours on the couch groaning and clutching my stomach in agony. Maybe I’ll cool it on the thirds and fourths this year…this is going to be a challenge of epic proportions.

In other news, I’m getting ready to head to Vegas in a few weeks for the ½ marathon! And I’m not just excited because I get to take a day off of work and have a hiatus from the kids… It’s going to be super awesome and I’ve started to kick it into high gear. I’m walking three miles and weight lifting most days and then upping it to 5 or 6 miles once a week. Next week I’ll be doing a 7 or 8 mile walk and then finally I’ll bust it out to a nine or ten stretch. So come December 4th, I’m going to be rocking the strip like nobody’s business!

So the moral of the story is that I’ve got to keep my eyes on the prize – can’t be overcome by pumpkin pie and let all the hard work from the last few weeks go to shit – Must. Keep. Going. I know myself all too well – if I start chowing down in my usual fashion, all will to exercise and strive for awesomeness is GONE. I will enter a food coma and not come out of it for a good long while. So I’m asking all of you – how do you stay relatively healthy? Or are you like me and just say to hell with it – go big or go home? Any advice would be glorious!