The Three “C’s” of the Holidays—Christmas, Calories, and Carbs

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I can already feel my waistline expanding. Just looking at holiday recipes and cookies that are about to explode onto the scene are making my thighs jiggle. This is a frightening time of year, and nobody wants to take the time to count calories and discover how many carbs she’s ingested in one day.

It’s daunting.

But alas, we’ve got to keep watch over it, otherwise we’ll be one of those “pretenders” and “false exercise enthusiasts” who show up at the YMCA on January 2, only to fall off the wagon by January 14. We let the weight pile on and then we’re desperate to get it off. (I’ve already got a number I want to lose, so adding more on top of it is scary).

Better to just keep track of it now.

Sure.

The calories can pile up quickly, and we need a scapegoat. Let’s blame the weight gain on all the chefs and cooks in the kitchen for making delicious food over the holidays. Who can pass up a smorgasbord of Italian anitpasto or Nanni’s dunking cookies or homemade apple pie? You sample one, then you need to sample another.

Before you know it, your pants become tighter. And then you’re angry and frustrated because those jeans “just fit yesterday.”

One of my friends told me recently that her system is “out of whack” because she eliminated carbs from her diet over the summer, and now she has reintroduced them to her system. She says she can’t zip up the trousers now.

The problem is we can’t get away from the three “Cs” this time of year. They’re omnipresent, and will be around for weeks.

Such a vicious cycle for what should be the most pleasant time of the year. It’s so stressful, I don’t know what to do.

Pass me a snowman cookie, please.