Thanksgiving...

Happy whatever you celebrate, everyone! So, life has been super busy with Target and whatnot so I apologize for the lack of updates. But worry not, my updating slump is not reflective of my attitude towards working out. I'm still going strong. I just thought I would take this opportunity to share with you my victories from a holiday that traditionally features overeating and a need to wear sweatpants for a couple of days.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I'm working at Hiltz and semi-dreading working at Target later. I'm already tired and to have to go solidly from 8:00am to 12:30 is rough. But when I show up I am pleased to find out we are closing early and then setting up for Black Friday so I'll get to leave at 11:30. My day is better, but it will get worse.

After the store closes, we are setting up Black Friday displays and we have to unload some cardboard shelving off of pallets. This involves bending down. Now, my pants are fitting looser ever since I started the whole gym thing and I'm constantly having to pull them up as the night goes on. Those of you who have been my friends for a while are no stranger to my pants riding a little lower, but it's kind of gotten worse. Anyways, I'm squatting down to unload a display but I didn't hike my pants up before hand, so what happens? My pants rip. Right in the crotch. And I still have 40 minutes left of work. Great.

Also, I don't have another pair of khakis at home and I'm not going to have time to go shopping for a new pair because all the stores are closed for Thanksgiving and I'm working all day on Black Friday. I almost start crying immediately. Instead, I finish my work, periodically announcing that I ripped my pants because who wants to be that guy who has to tell someone there is a giant hole in the crotch of their pants? I want to save everyone the hassle because I'm such a nice guy.

I get home around midnight and have to start making caramel rolls for a brunch tomorrow, because the bread dough needs to rise overnight. I prep them, sleep, and then wake up for brunch. The bread dough has risen beautifully and I'm super excited to bake them over at Best Friend Rachel's and Lisa's house. Upon arrival, I toss them in the oven and the three of us begin making monkey bread. Once that is cooked, Shawn and Emma come over and we have a delightful brunch. I attempt to be conscious of how much I'm eating and what is usually a carb-loaded meal, morphs into one that is semi-balanced with fresh fruit and spinach and egg crustless mini-quiches, with a later helping of green bean casserole with fresh green beans.

At the conclusion of the meal, I return home to drive with Fit Andrew and our friend Beki to Andrew's sister and brother-in-law's apartment in Rockport for the dinner portion of the day. Sarah is an amazing cook and goes all-out for holiday meals. I'm blessed to be included. After a lovely selection of hors d'oeuvres, we sit down to meal that smells and looks so delicious that a single tear falls down my cheek and lands on the wings of an angel.

Despite an overwhelming urge to stuff my face, I remind myself to go slowly so as not to get to the point of being uncomfortably full. And it works. I have to stop before I even finish one plate because the food has had time to reach my stomach. I'm even mildly excited to go on a post-meal walk around Bearskin Neck. I'd be more excited had I not only worn my slippers.

After the meal and a wonderful round of Mad Gab, we head home and I think about what to do with my lack of pants problem. I could stay up and just go out with the Black Friday rush just to get a pair of pants. I'm almost resigned to do this, but then I think about that pair of khakis that I do have that don't fit. Why not just try it? It won't ruin my life. So I try them on and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but pants that fit in the legs and the rear! And the waist, but I make sacrifices for clever little lines. 

Pants that did not fit me three weeks ago suddenly fit on a day when the main activity has been eating. Change can happen and it can feel amazing. I'm so excited for work tomorrow because I'm going to wear pants that fit well instead of pants that are too large. The only trick is retaining self control because Target takes good care of their team members during the holidays. There is amazing food in the break room on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Thank goodness I don't have all the time in the world to sit in the break room or I may just continue eating.

So no gym over the weekend, but I love the fact that I can exercise some self control on a day traditionally filled with binge eating and that on that day I fit into some skinny pants. Celebrate the little victories or you're more likely to fail. At least that's what I've found.