Hi Everyone!

Fall is here full force and even quite a bit of rain, which seems so early in the year for us here in the mild-lands of climate phenomenons. 

I have noticed for myself and have heard from many members over the years, that this is the time we begin to cook more, and spend more time inside, near or in our kitchens. And guess what happens because of that?  

I remember a Bloom County cartoon (remember that comic strip?) from years ago, when Steve, the sexist lawyer, says to his girlfriend in response to her query about if she was fat: "Uh, no...you're not fat...." (a nice long pause goes in here). "You chicks store fat in your thighs for winter don't you?" As absurd as that statement is, let's face it. Some of us do seem to have a tendency to bulk up in the colder months.

It makes me wonder are we doomed every winter to gain rather than lose because we tend to cook more, have the holiday season in our laps, and just seem to be hungrier as the weather gets colder? And then we can blame the summer months for all the parties, BBQs and lack of structure which other times of the year give us. So does that mean spring and fall are times to lose and the rest of the year forget it? Yikes!!

So my solution has been this. Yep, I cook a lot more. But that means I can cook a lot of soup as well as other yummy dishes. Soup generally is a lot more filling for a lot less points. It is so easy to make zero - 2 point per cup soups, and use it as a snack, as well as a meal (not in the same day...I could get sick of a soup pretty easily if I did that). Maybe having a zero point vegetable soup for lunch a couple of days a week, or as an afternoon filler instead of the peanut butter on crackers,  will balance out the apple crisp or leftover Thanksgiving meal. Just a thought...

The other life saver for me is the gym. The winter months are colder and wetter and outdoor activities are definitely curtailed, so the gym is a perfect solution. Oh I hear the whines and sighs right now. "I hate gyms...I would never join a gym..." on and on. Well, here's the reality, my wonderful friends. Gyms offer a plethora of options for staying in shape. Besides all the stairmasters, elipticals and stationary bikes, as well as all the myriad weight training options, they offer classes by the carload, as well as a knowledgable staff of trained professionals who can help you figure out how the facitity can best benefit you. Whatever you have made up about joining a gym (there are only 20 something perfect bodies there...It is full of sweaty guys....), I dare you to prove yourself wrong. My gym (Coaches Corner in Sebastopol) has all ages. The teens come in after school, but the rest of the day is filled with a great group: many of whom have become good friends, most of whom are near my age (57) and older, and in various degrees of fitness. I look forward to seeing buddies, and at the same time getting a much more extensive workout then I will get walking with a friend. I used to nay say gyms the way many of you are doing, but I got hooked on a few classes, and found things I like to do there, and it has become a favorite destination.

As the season progresses I hope many of you anti-gym readers will venture into your nearest facility and see what is possible.
If you are not willing to consider this I challenge you to figure out some form of activity which you can do inside in a consistent way. It is time to think about what your hopes are for the the upcoming winter season. Is it to gain weight, like the rest of the country does this time of year (7-10 lbs is the average weight gain between mid November and January 1st) or is it to maintain or lose? If it is the latter what steps will you take to make that happen? If you could do an hour of exercise every day, in some way, between now and the end of the year, it will make up for a whole lotta eggnog and pumpkin pie...