Living Smart: ‘Twas the week after Christmas

Special to the Green Valley News

Holidays are a challenge for those interested in staying fit. There is always less time to exercise and more opportunities to eat.

My talented friend, Georgia Harris of Green Valley, has found a creative way to voice our frustrations with the season’s temptations.

‘Twas the week after Christmas and all thru the gym,

Waistbands were strained and faces were grim.

Complaints of the season were heard far and wide,

“Can that huge hunk of flesh really be my back side?”

While some of Green Valley stayed snug in their bed,

The vain ones among us were working instead

On our waists, hips and thighs with the greatest of zeal

So the New Year would not our transgressions reveal.

We thought we’d been careful what we put on our plate.

We had carefully considered each morsel we ate.

When the eggnog was passed, we refrained, don’t you know,

And we vowed that our bodies weren’t going to grow.

But they managed to tempt us with goodies galore.

Now cheesecake! Now chocolate! Now candies and more!

On gravy! On taters! On sweet pumpkin pies!

And the caloric intake went straight to the thighs!

To the treadmill we leapt, to the stationary bike,

To crunches and push-ups and squats and the like.

We lifted and pushed and got sweat on our brow.

So no one could say that we looked like a cow!

To heck with sore muscles, who cares if we croak!

These five extra pounds are no reason to joke.

Remember “No pain is no gain”, as they say,

But try to sleep slathered in gobs of Ben Gay.

So, we vowed with a fervor so grand to behold,

That next year, for sure, we would be good as gold.

That nary a sweet, greasy, fattening bite

Would cross over our lips and make our pants tight!

Dear readers, keep pedaling! Don’t stop for a break.

In just two more hours you might work off that cake!

Hang in there! Keep jogging for all you hold dear,

And you just might be trimmed up by Christmas—next year!

Most of us struggle between Thanksgiving and Christmas when Americans on average gain two to five pounds, depending on the source.

Fortunately, the New Year is just around the corner.

The most popular New Year’s resolution is to exercise more often. Use this opportunity to develop a regular fitness routine and stick to it.

Green Valley resident Ann Sirianni is a certified fitness trainer. Contact her at 465-1221 or gvfitness@cox.net.