Holiday Blog: When I was a little kid I always felt bad that we only got together with family durin…

Holiday Blog:

When I was a little kid I always felt bad that we only got together with family during the holidays. It seemed like we were, ahem, avoiding certain people the rest of the year. I thought, “Why does there have to be a Christmas tree in the room for Uncle Tom to be over?” Okay, as I grew older it became clear: Because life goes so fast; and the holidays are the only time when we stop what we are doing and really attend to one another.

So now that I am a grownup, I catch myself doing the same thing. I am so busy all year long, that it takes a stack of Federal holidays in a 6 week span of time for me to stop everything and just sit down for a conversation with my brother and my beautiful sisters.

This is a sad, but predictable fact of life. So, instead of feeling badly that I never see my siblings during any month that doesn’t have the letter “r” in it, I resolve to really make the holiday festivities count.
Does this mean I cook? Bake? Shop? Well, the shopping part, yes. But the cooking and baking part I have kind of done away with. Nope. Pretty much since I changed careers from social work to fitness, I have performed a body comp analysis on all the family members that want one, during our holiday festivities.

For folks like my stepdad who suffered a heart attack 3 years ago, or my brother in law who really wants to get back into shape (every year), I also check their blood pressure and talk to them about our family history for coronary artery disease and cancer. Fun party conversations, huh?

Yes, forget overindulging, but the last 6 years’ holiday gatherings have gone from sugar and fat laden free-for-alls to exercise prescriptions and after dinner walking consultations and questions about lipid profiles and anti inflammatory supplements.

Well, maybe this explains why I don’t see all my family members all that often. But the bottom line is, that every year, when we all gather together at my mom’s home, we are very thankful that we all made it back there!

A year has passed, and thank goodness we are all still well. And by golly, this year will be no different. We will weigh and measure and game plan the fitness, the wellness, and resolve to see one another again in one year, a little fitter and a little healthier!

And okay, maybe have a few cookies too!

Be well,
coach Danielle