Three weeks ago, I revealed that I made the decision to run a 5K for my birthday in February – a decision that came after nine years of less-than-frequent exercise. My adventures in fitness continue below…

I’ve been working out for a month now. It boggles my mind that it’s already been this long, mostly because I’m still doing it. In the past I would have given up, but this time is different.

• This time I have Coach Bolt, who starts off each Shocker Fitness session with a motivational talk and provides me with positive feedback throughout the workouts. He doesn’t give up on me, even when I want to give up on myself.
• This time I have my workout buddies who call (or tweet) me when I miss a workout.  It’s not that they are trying to guilt me into coming, it’s that they are just encouraging me to keep with it even after I’ve had a slipup. In the past, if I missed a workout on Monday at the YMCA, then I’d just call it a wash and skip the rest of the week. My workout buddies help to remind me that I can skip a session, but not to make it a habit and to get back on schedule the next time.
• This time I have you guys. So many great readers have commented on my posts with suggestions and ideas of new things to try and how to stay motivated. Knowing that people are not only reading my column but are invested in what I’m doing has helped me stay on track. Plus, I really don’t want to have to write a column about how I gave up.

I am thankful for each and every one of the people mentioned above for helping me stay on track. The biggest hurdle is coming tomorrow, though… Thanksgiving. While my workouts are not for the purpose of losing weight (I’ve actually gained a few pounds in the past month, but I’m sure it’s muscle weight. Well, that’s what I keep telling myself, anyway), I really don’t want to sabotage all of my hard work for one day of feasting. So I’ve devised a plan to get me through the holiday:

• Get up early and work out. These are two things that I NEVER thought I’d be doing, especially on a holiday, but I think it’s the best way to start the day off right.
• Fill up on celery and carrots. Olives aren’t on that list but I will be eating some of those as well. I can be good, but I can’t be that good.
• Choose my favorite four or five items to eat and only put those on my plate. Why waste calories with foods I don’t like? This time I will not be guilted into trying everything to avoid offending the person who brought it and instead I will simply skip it in favor of eating only what I absolutely love (look out, sweet potato casserole, I’m coming for you) and I won’t overload my plate.
• After dinner I will go for a walk around the block. Sitting around the house will only lead to snacking and that cannot be good. I’ll get out and enjoy some fresh air instead of picking at the turkey and sneaking more bites of the casserole.
• Get out of town. This one is great on many levels. I avoid the temptation of leftovers and I’ll be in Kansas City with some of my favorite people. I’d say that’s a win/win.

If I can just follow these simple guidelines I’ve set for myself, I think I’ll be good. I will get back on my workout schedule next week and not have to worry about sabotaging myself again until Christmas comes around.

What about you, readers? What are your tips for surviving the holiday?

Related posts:

1. [move] Running Just As Fast As I Can: Week 5
2. [move] Running Just as Fast as I Can: Week 7
3. [move] Running Just As Fast As I Can: Week 2
4. [move] Running Just as Fast as I Can: Week 8
5. [move] Running Just As Fast As I Can – Week 1