How long are the lines between YOUR "Xs"?

As many of you know I went to Weight Watchers for two years and lost a lot of weight following that program. For a while I worked part-time with them as well. I've always shared what I felt was the good, bad and the ugly about the program. One or two things from the time I spent there were golden gems and I continue to use them to this day. Here is one strategy for getting through a "...season filled with holiday temptations, parties and other diet pitfalls." This comes from the Magnificent Melvin (an unusually great leader that I credit with keeping me there for as long as I was).

So you say that there is no way you can get through the holiday season with all of the office parties, coctail parties, cookie baking, too dark-after-work to run, things stopping you from your healthy eating/exercise routine?

Nonsense!

Take out a calendar or print one out for the month of December. Go through and make a big "X" on every one of the days that you are going to a party or other "diet dangerous" event. Then draw a horizontal line through the days between the Xs. E.G:

I celebrate my birthday, Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and New Year's Eve every December. I also organize a holiday run that ends with liberal Guinness drinking, and attend our running club party (at the Spaghetti Warehouse). I love to make Christmas cookies and make/eat traditional Polish food for Christmas Eve. Also, I've been invited to a massive drink-fest party this year. IF I were to eat and drink like my normal piggish self that would mean the 11th, 12th, 16th, 17th, 24th, 25th and 31st would have a big X on it. Despite having all of these events, there are far many more days with a line through them. Using the 80/20 rule (Eat well 80% of the time to maintain your weight; 80% of 31= 25 days). So, even in a holiday party-filled month there is still over 70% of the month where I could eat/exercise normally.

Somehow seeing this in black and white (or Xs and lines) it cuts through the excuses and helps to keep me on track. Try it and see if you agree?

Party On...