Weight No More

Dear Gala Guru,

I have a problem. I have done nothing but eat since Thanksgiving, celebrating all the parties and holidays. I recently stepped on the scales and am horrified to find I have gained 15 pounds. I realize I did this to myself, but now I am panicked. I need to get back to my exercise routine and am having trouble getting motivated. Any advice?

Bloated in Boise

Dear Bloated,

Relax. You’ve just joined the Waist Management Club, where membership is gained through excessive holiday consumption of everything from gravy-laden potatoes to that mysterious hot dish your neighbor swears is ‘an old family recipe.  I, too, recently commiserated with my best friend about those festive two months and how they seemed like an eating marathon.

You could spend three hours every morning at the gym doing your best hamster-on-a-wheel impression, but let’s be realistic – most of us have emerged from our eggnog haze and can barely remember where we put our gym shoes.

Instead, grab a fellow survivor and start walking. You will burn calories and have someone to share your “I can’t believe I ate the whole pie” stories with. Take it slow – Rome wasn’t built in a day, and those sugar cookie pounds won’t disappear overnight. Return to that pre-November routine when vegetables weren’t just the garnish on your cheese plate.

Here’s the not-so-secret formula.  Weight loss is basically a math problem.  Burn more than you consume. Unless you’re attempting to eat your body weight in leftover holiday treats (no judgment), you’re probably already heading in the right direction.

Be patient with yourself. Eat like a reasonable human being instead of a squirrel preparing for winter, and try to move a little more each day than you did the day before. Before you know it, you’ll be back to your pre-holiday self.

Keep in mind that sweatpants are great friends in trying times, but don’t let them become your permanent roommates.

Remember, there’s always a reason to celebrate

The Gala Guru

www.thegalaguru.net