Hi there...

You probably think I have forgotten about you in all the excitement of the holidays - I have to admit it was a tiny bit hard to pull myself away from the chocolate cake, fruitcake, coffecake, and birthday cake on top of that - not to mention the Godiva truffles, chocolate covered cherries and rum balls - I never had a chance!!! So I'm pretty proud of myself to have gotten through one day in the last week without cake or chocolate! I'm sure I gained a couple of pounds (I hope that's all, but I'm not getting on the scales to find out!), but it was delicious, and I know I'll be back in my usual routine come next Monday, so just trying to enjoy it while I can without going crazy. The only thing that saved me was working out - the thought of that last bite of cake kept me from rolling over and going back to sleep, so there I was burning it off bright and early the next morning. Don't wait until next Monday to start getting back in shape - you can maintain somewhat of a normal weight as long as you are willing to burn some of those extra calories. Your metabolism stays elevated up to four hours after a workout, so you burn a lot more than you think - and the faster you move, the MORE calories are burned. This is a great time to pick up the intensity - all that extra sugar in your body gives you extra energy; that extra energy will also help you to keep your resolve for the next few days - small portions, lots of water and lots of exercise. You may feel a little sluggish at first, but your New Year's Eve imaginary endorphins will kick in after five or ten minutes, and you can take off. You'll be the one having the time of your life come the New Year! Melissa