Monday, January 9

Post-holiday issues

You know how the Grinch hates Christmas? That's not me. Not at all. I love Christmas.



But I've discovered something about myself. I am a New Year's Grinch.

I especially despise New Year's magazines. It seems that EVERY SINGLE ONE includes a plan for losing those extra pounds we all gained at Christmastime. Everywhere I look there's a weight loss plan or an exercise plan or a healthful eating plan. Ugh.

Today, as I was pondering how much I hate focusing on diets and scales and dress sizes, I was reminded of this old poem. I hope it'll bring a smile to your face, too.

Methusaleh ate what he found on his plate,
And never, as people do now,
Did he note the amount of the calorie count;
He ate it because it was chow.
He wasn't disturbed as at dinner he sat,
Devouring a roast or a pie,
To think it was lacking in granular fat
Or a couple of vitamins shy.
He cheerfully chewed each species of food,
Unmindful of troubles or fears
Lest his health might be hurt
By some fancy dessert;
And he lived over nine hundred years.

"Methusaleh," Author Unknown. The Best Loved Poems of the American People, Hazel Felleman, Editor. Copyright 1936, Doubleday and Company.


Anyone else gain a couple of pounds at Christmastime? Are you a New Year's Grinch, too, or do you embrace the chance to start fresh?

11 comments:

  1. I'm not crazy about the start of a new year, either. Being a teacher, the new year for me starts at the beginning of the school year and ends when school gets out in May. January doesn't give me that "fresh start" feeling at all.

    I put on 5 lbs this Christmas and haven't lost a bit since. I like to eat!! I'll do something about it sooner or later.

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  2. I LOVE it...the poem, that is. :)
    I like the feeling of a fresh start but I'm somewhat of a grinch when it comes to all the over-the-top weight loss reminders.
    Blessings,
    Marcia

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  3. That's funny . . . I always call myself the Halloween Grinch because I HATE Halloween. Anyway, I have never made a resolution to lose weight because I've never been successful at diets. I didn't gain weight over the holidays, but I didn't lose any either. I'd still love to lose 10 pounds, but if it never comes off I'll just chalk it up to menopause (cough, cough).

    Loved that poem!!

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  4. I think I have been too busy so far this year to actually care about my weight, yet.
    ;)
    But, I love the poem. I think Imma put it on my FaceBook wall, m'kay?
    I have never heard it before.
    P.S. You are beautiful no matter what the scale says, Richella.

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  5. I totally embrace it, new year, new motivation, And yes I did gain a few pounds too ;-) hoping to get back to the gym, I've been down with allergies since the new year :-(

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  6. Richella this made me smile:) I wonder if Methusaleh ever ate cheesecake?!?

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  7. Hahaha! I LOVED that poem :-D. Not all about the fresh start bit, but it just so happens that right before the holidays I became a certified WholyFit instructor, so I'm super excited to start teaching and share a fabulously relaxing way to exercise with people! What's not to like about that?!

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  8. I like the the fresh start - but don't like the push to be dissatisfied with what we were so happy with just 2 weeks ago...
    and YES I {happily} gained some weight eating, drinking and celebrating!
    Blessings!
    lib
    http://bit.ly/yRqK0U

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