Monday, November 23, 2009

Whoa Nelly!

The last two weeks have been hectic trying to exercise, going to Italian class in Long Beach, being social, and becoming obsessed with granny squares. That's the nutshell version.

Two weeks ago I started exercising after a long period of inactivity (sitting on my arse for hours, days and then months while finishing my dissertation). After finishing there were some fits and starts of activity. Finally, it was the discomfort of wearing my pants that spurred me into action. Un-com-fort-able! They were squeezing me to death like a boa constrictor. So in a moment of desperation I signed up for a gut busting Holiday boot camp. The boot camp will be for the first three weeks of December in the hopes to combat the dreaded and inevitable Holiday weight gain. So now I find myself having to get in shape for boot camp and I have been dragging myself almost everyday to workout. It is really sad when you have to workout for your workouts. What is even sadder is looking in the mirror and not recognizing your own body. The long months of stress eating and sitting at the computer have turned me into a marshmallow. There is no tone or muscle definition, just the soft sugary goodness that matches what I put in my mouth.

So I have started exercising. It's a good thing.

Next up is to get the eating habits in order. Boy is this the wrong time of the year. The holidays for me start at Halloween. We had no trick or treaters this year so you know I ate the three bags of candy I bought almost single handed. I ain't proud but it's true. Then some friends came over for cocktails and I cooked up some nibbles, and noshes, and threw down a cheese plate. My Italian teacher came to town and I made some Italian cookies with chocolate and hazelnuts for class. This past weekend was a book club meeting (The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz - best book I have read this year - loved it) and I made salted brown butter rice krispie treats and they were crazy good. You can find the recipe at Smitten Kitchen.

For Thanksgiving I am making sweet potato pie and Brussels sprouts. Also I have been dying to make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. Doesn't that sound delicious? The hubby just got a new bread baking book (My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method by Jim Lahey). A boule is cooling as I write.

Obviously, I am not sure I will win the battle of the bulge but keeping it at bay seems like the best strategy for now. I will do my best to just indulge on Thursday, but who knows what other fabulous temptations will come to bear over the weekend. Many I am sure. I guess a workout here and there won't hurt either before boot camp comes early next Monday morning. Maybe tomorrow I will get up early and get to spin class. It's been months since I have clipped in. Oh and the hubby just informed me today that we may have to go to a formal party in Miami in three weeks. A formal dress?! The pressure just makes me hungry. Does anyone else have this problem? Any other strategies for negotiating the holiday goodies you would like to impart? I am taking any and all suggestions and reminding myself everything in moderation, including moderation.

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