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In the 12 Days of Christmas, My Stay-Fit Strategy
It’s fair to say I have a huge family — we used to rent reception halls to host our Christmas celebrations. Fifteen aunts and uncles between the two sides of my family, each with two to six children who now are having lots of kids of their own … it adds up. So it’s a rare day when I see everyone.
It’s also a rare day when I indulge in the special dishes for which each family member is famous. There’s the mini-shrimp dip, the cheese sandwiches, the fat noodles with beef, the layer salad, my mom’s sweet potatoes and cheesy potatoes, this amazing thing with shortbread-walnut crust, chocolate pudding and whipped cream … and someone’s always good for a tray of baklava. It adds up. Oh, does it add up.
Throw in a few office parties, gatherings with my immediate family, a cookie-baking tradition and random acts of chocolate, pour on a few drinks at New Year’s Eve, and I might as well pull out the elastic pants, right?
So what, I say, it’s the holidays, and I don’t get to eat fat homemade noodles any other time of the year.
But all is not lost. It simply requires some compensating. My whole plan is conveniently tied to a memorable little ditty I like to call, “The Twelve Ways to Survive Christmas.” Sing along with me, if you will…
