Every year, I gain 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and mid-January. Then I spend January to April losing it. I’ve always been successful at losing it, so year over year I guess you could say that my weight stays the same. In fact this year, I’m about 3-4 pounds below my normal low. Yeah for me! But it’s such a pain the ass dieting for months on end in an attempt to be beach-ready by Spring Break. I don’t want to do it this year. I’d rather aim for moderation from here on out - no more extreme gluttony followed by months of unpleasant asceticism.

So, I’m going to TRY TRY TRY my hardest, consciously, with everything I’ve got… NOT to gain those stupid 10 pounds this holiday season. I know I can do it. I’ve changed my eating habits quite a bit this year, especially due to the Weight Watchers CORE diet. Through this diet, I learned a lot about healthy snack choices and the importance of eating whole wheat products rather than refined flours.

Over this holiday season, I figure if I eat sensibly for 5 days of every week and refrain from wine on weekdays (yeah right!) then I can still enjoy myself on the weekends. Then there’s the gym. I guess I’ll have to work that into the routine somewhere, too.

I’m hoping that by officially announcing this plan on my blog I will introduce some unofficial accountability to the scheme. And if anyone would like to join me in this endeavor, feel free to come along. I know we’d all prefer NOT to gain weight over the next 6-8 weeks, but are you really ready to commit to the actions required to stop the scale from moving upwards?

I’m banking on the fact that moderate enjoyment of food and wine for the next 6 months is infinitely more enjoyable than overboard calorie-loading now and full-on dieting later. Right?