Right This Very Minute

Hello friends~

Christmas is just 2 days away. The holiday season seems to start earlier every year, and I admit that it’s been a bit harder this year to conjure up the spirit. We got started right away with garlands, strings of lights (which had to be hung twice thanks to squirrels), the German candle spinner, wreaths, fragrant evergreen branches are stuck in pots all over the house because our tree is artificial (I never imagined we’d have a fake tree!). Classic music has been playing for a month, and I can relate to the sense of urgency in the lyrics of the song We Need A Little Christmas right this very minute.

The excitement and anticipation were so real when the kids were young. We read The Night Before Christmas every single day, and I can still recite it after all those years. We listened to the Original Amy Grant Christmas album over and over, and the song Emmanuel still makes me tear up.  George Winston’s December and Music Box Christmas, and Vince Guaraldi, A Charlie Brown Christmas were on cassette. In later years, The Holiday Express Christmas Album  was a favorite (and still is) partly because my daughter was performing with that amazing group of Tim McLoone’s volunteers, bringing music and cheer to people who are displaced, with disabilities, elderly. Donate here.

We searched TVGuide for every Christmas special. Waiting to watch made them even more meaningful. This year Michael and I have watched Charlie Brown, Rudolph, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle On 34th St, Elf, and Scrooged. Crying at Scrooged. I know. The tissues were handy.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, as I stood in the glow of the tree on Christmas Eve, envisioning the happy chaos in the morning, it really did feel magical. We made sure the fireplace was clean for Santa’s arrival, and the glass of milk, carrots, and cookies were ready. I never told the kids that Santa wasn’t real, even when they were teenagers and adults. Why not believe?  The last page of the Polar Express: “Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe”. Tissues please.

These grownup kids and spouses are creating traditions now. They all have in-laws and extended families so we don’t expect everyone to come for holiday visits, besides it would be 27 people, counting 12 adults and 15 kids. We get together at other times of the year that are less stressful, and those unstructured times are wonderful.

We’ll be spending Christmas Day quietly, just the two of us. Some of the kids have already been here and are on their way to Maine, and others are coming from New Hampshire on the 26th to stay for several days. The girls’ families are close by so we’ll be seeing them through the week. We’ll walk to the beach, watch the classic 1951 version of A Christmas Carol. Maybe we’ll bake something yummy.

And we’ll talk about the joy in our lives, the things we are grateful for, especially our family.

family christmas card 2024
The family photo collage for the 2024 Christmas card

 

Michael and Polli maybe Christmas 24 2
The back of the Christmas card, a photo from one of our sunrises on the beach.

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2 Gifts to yourself:  

1. Say goodbye to dieting.

A diet is always unsustainable, restrictive, and has a name.”The xyz Diet” makes promises, mostly lies, so someone can take your money. I’m not sure why women are still trying to be smaller, skinnier, thinner. Don’t get me started on Ozempic and the others, which suppress appetite and can lead to malnutrition. Ladies, over time skinny leads to frailty, muscle weakness, joint problems, osteoporosis, falls, and breaking bones…which ultimately leads to the worst fate of all – living your last years in a facility.

Enjoy the holidays. Eat good food. Get some movement doing things you like, especially outdoors.

If you want to change the way your body utilizes/metabolizes fat (fuel) you need to build muscle. Here’s everything to know about nutrition and training for women from Dr. Stacy Sims, interviewed by Dr Andrew Huberman.

Eat good food: carbs, protein, and fat, and plenty of fiber. Don’t work out in a fasted state.

2. Plan to get strong.

Lift.
Building muscle increases your basal metabolic rate (BMR). The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn — even when you’re resting. You’ll thank yourself, I promise.

Be a bit more active.  
Increase your NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) by walking, taking the stairs, or standing more. Small daily changes can add up.

Sleep. Learn strategies to deal with stress.
Poor sleep and inability to manage stress not only make fat loss harder—they can also derail recovery and performance, and cause hormonal imbalances.

Avoid severe caloric restriction. 
Being in big calorie deficit might work short term, but it can slow your metabolism and lead to muscle loss. Allow time and a moderate calorie deficit to sustain fat loss with protein, healthy carbs and fats.

Ensure adequate protein intake.
Protein helps build muscle, and aids recovery.

Don’t villainize carbs and fat.

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No “right” answers:

What are your fitness goals for the new year?

Is there anything you like to do with your body?

How do you want to feel as you move into 2025 and through the year, and the next?

 

Wishing you a joyful holiday!

x

Polli

 

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I’ve had a similar convo theme going with friends and clients over the past few weeks. Resolutions, habits, behavior change, being conscious, goals…maybe you’ve been