News from Trainer Sue

I personally find it almost impossible to stand in a kitchen where chips and dips are laid out in front of me without munching endlessly. Especially if I have a cocktail in my hand. I find it equally difficult to have one plate of food on Thanksgiving. It's just so good!

It is a challenge for me to get my workouts in consistently when there are other things I am being invited to attend that conflict with my usual workout times.

When my time is pressed by shopping, cooking, baking, wrapping, decorating, and all the other things that need done around this time of year, it seems reasonable to just put everything fitness and health related on hold and put all my energy into the to-dos of the season. There is only so much time in each day and so much energy left to conjure up the will power needed to resist cookies that are everywhere. Cookies are everywhere!

But I know what happens if I do this. The reason I know what happens is because this is what I did for many years. I decided it took too much energy to keep up fitness over the holidays so I gave myself a free pass and took a mental break from it all.

If only our bodies took the break with us, but they don't. What I learned was if I took the holiday free pass, I woke up out of a sugar coma in early January feeling absolutely horrible about myself. There is a reason marketing of fitness services and products goes crazy at the beginning of the year. They know how we feel and are exploiting us because we are so desperate to feel better we will try anything.

I believe commitment is stronger than obstacles.

I can make a commitment to keep up my healthy lifestyle right through the holidays. I can stay motivated and inspired to do so because I know the pain and self loathing when I don't. I refuse to do that to myself ever again. Can you say that with me? I refuse to do that to myself ever again.

I know it takes extra planning and being very organized. I know we're all tired and overwhelmed. But close your eyes and take a deep breath. Remember what it felt like to gain five, six, seven pounds over the holidays. Remember what it did to your spirit. Remember how you felt about yourself.

Now take another deep breath and envision yourself stronger and healthier than ever this January. Picture how you will feel about yourself. Allow yourself to feel that strength, that confidence, the joy of sticking with this even when it got really difficult. Then make the commitment. Then make it again. Every hour of every day if you have to so none of us ever has to feel that bad about ourselves again.