The break is over. It’s finally over. School starts in a few hours and we will be back to a calming routine. Sigh…
Right now I have the same feeling I had back when my husband and I were on the Body for Life program. (I say “were” because for me, it was “Body Until my Next Pregnancy.”)
If you are unfamiliar with the popular fitness regime, it goes something like this: for six days you follow an exacting, disciplined workout routine and menu. Then on day seven, you get a “free day.” That’s right, free. No exercise and you can eat anything you want. Anything. For 24 hours.
Well on Friday nights, my dear hubby and I would put the kids to bed and then race up the stairs like two kids on Christmas Eve. We’d throw the duvet over our heads, close our eyes and wish for morning to come. After a grueling muscle ripping, calorie counting week, we had big plans for our well deserved free day. We would start out with bowls and bowls of Lucky Charms. Lunch was not complete without a family-sized bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. We would pick a favorite restaurant for dinner and order the tastiest things on the menu.
By the time we had downed the economy sized box of Junior Mints and metabolized the endless ropes of red vines we devoured for dessert, we were so utterly disgusted with ourselves, we longed to start our healthy routine again. (That’s how the program keeps you devoted.)
We’d lie on the couch like fat cats and tell each other about our new resolve for fitness and how we wouldn’t overdo our free day the next week. We’d do double reps tomorrow. Run twice as long. Tomorrow was another day!
And that’s how I feel right now. We were so excited for a nice, long, relaxing Christmas Break. No school, no homework, and no bedtimes! We really did have a great time basking in the slowness of it all. We didn’t get out of our jammies before noon. The kids were up as late as we were. We watched way too much television. We fed off of holiday treats and goodies more than planned meals. We swam in presents and soaked ourselves in hot chocolate. And now…I think we’ve had enough.
I am ready for homework and lessons and classes to begin. I’m ready for the alarm clock to buzz me out of a warm bed because it will mean order to my day! I can’t wait to go grocery shopping tomorrow and stock up on veggies and fruit. I will go with the week’s menu in hand and shop prudently. No more tossing in boxes of candy canes for the heck of it, or loading up on vats of corn syrup for yet another holiday recipe. I am ready for a new year.
Now, where did I put that Body for Life book again?
Margaret Anderson is a BYU graduate, freelance writer and mother of four small children. You can read more on her blog www.jamsandpickles.wordpress.com