Jubilee

I've been alive for fifty Christmas holidays. And I can safely say, without hesitation, that the other 49 were FULL of delicious food. My dad's country ham, Mom's meatballs on Christmas Eve, Grandma Jo's galettes, Grandma Ruby's oyster stuffing, banana nut cake (the best cake EVER!), bourbon balls and the list could run on for pages. My family knows what to do with food and does it very, very well.

Too well.

For 49 years it was a freakin' feast in December and a flippin' fast in January. I would spend January through... about Easter... just losing the extra pounds I had packed on between Halloween and New Years. (Oh, Lynna! You LIE, girl! You didn't GAIN 100 pounds in a ten year span by losing the winter weight!!! You don't fool me, nosireeBob! You sat down every January 1 and wrote out a great plan. And followed it for a week, ten days, tops.)

Well now. Who invited HER to share space on MY blog? As irritating as she is, that more honest version of me, I must say she's spot on. Darn her.

Ahhh, but you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. After 49 years of spending the holidays eating to my heart's content, I'm doing something different this year... I'm feasting on the good feelings that come from a healthier body and find that my heart is quite content to abstain. The most decadent thing I've had off-plan so far this month is a 60 calorie cup of hot cider. Even though I'm not indulging in treats and holiday fare, I'm feasting on the good feelings of staying disciplined and treating myself with tender care.

Maybe one day, I'll add holiday goodies back into my life... a few here and there in moderation,... as special treats; but for now, I've had more than my share over a lifetime, and I'm satisfied. What once felt like deprivation, now feels like amazingly good sense and balance.

Besides, I have a one year jump start on my New Year's Resolution since I actually started my fitness quest in earnest this PAST January. Come January, I'll just keep doing what I've been doing for a year, and be grateful that the momentum continues.

I so love Snickerdoodles and Chex party mix and eggnog with Bourbon, etc., I love even more that I'm giving myself another size smaller for Christmas. Merry Christmas, Lynna!