As the holidays approach we read numerous articles, see or hear many news segments, and participate in frequent discussions concerning those extra pounds which inevitably accumulate due to the over abundance of the season.  This all begins right about Thanksgiving time, and continues through New Year’s Day.

I had chosen, allowed myself if you will, the extras of Thanksgiving Day as well as on Turkey Cleanup Day which follows (is this not a national holiday as well?).  I decided that, while I would not over indulge, I would at least allow myself some mashed potatoes, pecan and pumpkin pie, as well as whatever else looked appetizing that is normally not part of my diet.  Bear in mind that I am the cook, and so everything is made with far better, and healthier, ingredients than most.  My pecan pie, for instance, is made with maple sugar, brown rice syrup, sour cream, and double pecans, providing a far superior taste to the ooey gooey concoction most often served.  The pumpkin pie is almost verbatim from Sally Fallon Morrell’s Nourishing Traditions cookbook-because no other pie can compare!  And my mashed potatoes contain copious amounts of butter and cream, accented with roasted garlic, and topped off with freshly grated Italian Parmesan before being baked to perfection.  Who can resist such delights?!

Well may I report that I thoroughly enjoyed my indulgence, as well as the accolades of an adoring family.  However, it took me 2 full weeks to burn off those extra 4 pounds which were oh so quickly added to my frame!  Was it worth it?  Well in a word, no.

Yes, pecan and pumpkin pie tastes as close to divine as can be imagined in this life.  And the potatoes?  Wonderful as well.  But I hated, hated! having to do the backstroke as I work towards my goal of -70 ( I am currently at -45 and counting).  So after this experience, how will I handle the Christmas season?  Here is my plan:

I bring the egg nog.  Plenty of it, made with lots of raw cream and farm fresh eggs, and a teeny bit of maple syrup.  I’ll also bring my famous Belgian Chocolate Cake, made with 1/2 the sugar (Sucanat, by the way) and substituting 50% of the (whole grain, gluten-free) flour with whole coconut flour, which I make myself in the Vita Mix using unsweetened organic coconut flakes.  I’ll also make my creamed cauliflower (steamed cauliflower, cream, butter, Trader Joe’s Quattro Fromaggio cheese blend) and will eat this instead of, rather than in addition to, the mashed potatoes.  I will precede each meal with a tall glass of full fat unprocessed milk.  And I will not, will not! I tell you, eat after 5-period!

I know that I will stick to this because  I do not want to have to back track again- not even a pound!  It will be much nicer to follow my usual routine, as much as possible, take several walks/jogs, go sledding with the kids, and return home after a few days feeling good about myself and what I have accomplished.  Perhaps I’ll even be a pound or two ahead (or behind, well, you know what I mean!).

So how will you spend your holidays?  Making excuses/exceptions and promises for “… after the new year…”, or moving forward?  I prefer moving forward!