The merriment of yet another season. It officially starts with Thanksgiving, followed by Christmas, and ultimately ends with New Year’s Eve.
It is at this time of the year that most individuals, who are disciplined in watching what they consume, fall victim to the holidays and ingest food in incalculable proportions. I chronicled my own episode in the “Christmas Glutton”.
This year, I decided if I was going to eat more at the start of the holiday season, I would be more strategic in my consumption. Thanksgiving, I surmise, would be a great starting point. My wife and I went to one of our favorite delis, where I made a simple request.
“No need to go overboard on the purchase of victuals,” I told her. “Keep the total under $100.”
The delicacies in this particular deli over the years meant that purchases were well in excess of $300. What normally accompanied such a large expenditure was the guilt of not wanting to let the food or money go to waste by gorging ourselves unmercifully.
Each time my wife would ask me about a particular salad, meat, or rice dish, I uttered, “buy a small amount.”
“You can worry about dieting after the holidays,” the server laughed. “You’ve got Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then New Years, which all call for you to eat.”
I laughed wholeheartedly for two reasons. She was a good salesperson. She readily agreed to any dish my wife pointed to, and with her pleasant demeanor, neither of us offered any resistance when she increased the requested amount by one or two.
I’m quite sure if I hadn’t been present our tally would have amounted well in excess of $300 again, but we managed a compromise and walked away with $140 still in our possession.
The formulation of an idea had begun the day before. It was a very simple yet calculated plan. I told my youngest daughter we were going to the gym in the morning.
“I will call for you once,” I said, sternly. “If you do not heed the call, I will leave without you.”
“I don’t only want to go this one time,” she sighed. “You’re so busy with your other clients, you don’t have time for me anymore.”
Her statement had a ring of truth in it. Yes, I was busy with more clients, but her lack of carving out time between school and work had more to do with it.
So, on Thanksgiving morn, I was true to my word, with one exception. I entered her room twice. The first time I roused her, she merely turned over. The second time, she gave me a definitive “no”.
“Who leaves their family on Thanksgiving,” my wife admonishes, “and goes to the gym?”
I thought her statement had some credence, which made me unique, but that thought quickly dashed as I entered the parking lot . . .
B.M.Booth (NASM-CPT)
Strength & Vigour 