Socializing This Holiday Season? Have Fun without Getting Fat(ter)!!
 - By Rich DiGirolamo, The Big Kid

November 2006

Are you about to become one of the statistics? One of the millions of people who will gain weight during “all-you-can-eat” season – Thanksgiving through New Years.  Well it doesn’t have to be that way.

There are millions of people who will not gain weight. There are millions of people who will attend parties, social events, and holiday dinners where they will enjoy themselves without the need to inhale and pop open that top button as they walk to the car. How about joining those ranks this year? You can. Just take these five steps to make it about things other than the food.

Positioning. How many parties are on your list this year? How many opportunities do you have for your butt to expand? It’s all about the positioning. Where do you position yourself at a party? Near the food? In the food? Stand near the food and chances are it will attach itself to your body – and in places you might not like. So be afraid. Be very afraid. It will find you. Move away. Go to another room. Watch others increase their size this year. Instead of eating try engaging in some……………. 

Conversation. Here is a sad thought; there are people who see each other only once or twice per year and have nothing to say other than to make comments about how good the food is. Try having some meaningful conversation this holiday season. Or better yet, is there a person across the room you might want to meet. Perhaps you’ve been stalking, uh, I mean watching, that hot looking person for quite some time. Perhaps they seem interesting. Perhaps they are the next Mr. or Mrs. Right. Go seek out that new friend. Who knows what opportunities might arise from that conversation? Perhaps you, this new friend, and a few others can move that conversation outside and…………..

Play. Let’s face it you either love exercise or you don’t. But let’s talk about play. Everyone loves to play. When you were a kid you went outside to play; not exercise. So have a snowball fight. Rake and jump in a pile of leaves. Then rake them together again. Play tag. Play Hide and Seek. Toss a Frisbee. Just make sure you include some fun at that next social gathering. And when you’re tired, then go back inside for dessert and that after dinner drink. But please make sure you……..

Milk that drink No, I don’t mean drink milk; although the dairy council would love that you did so. You know you don’t want milk. You want beer, wine, and alcohol. But can you “milk” that drink – make it last just a bit longer. Studies have shown that holding a drink in your hand can be as important as drinking the drink. So go refresh your drink with a few more ice cubes.  Your clothes will appreciate it. You also might start appreciating yourself a bit more.  Small successes like this can be critical to………..

Keep yourself motivated. Keeping motivated this time of year can be tough. Read motivational weight loss tips. Check out weight loss websites. Listen to weight loss audio programs, such as “Yes, You’re Fat! I Like You Anyway” available at www.nevergrowup.com. Join a weight loss support group – a fun one. Create a fun support group for free, by using services such as www.peertrainer.com

This is the time of year to laugh and play with family and friends. Sometimes we forget that and make it too much about the food. Make the holidays about the fun this year and redeem those holiday gift certificates for smaller sizes come January.  

Here’s to a skinnier, healthier and more fun 2007! I’ll be watching you at that next seasonal gathering.

 Rich DiGirolamo is a professional speaker from Wolcott, CT. He calls himself The Big Kid and enjoys “making painful processes fun.” He has maintained a thirty pound weight loss for almost twenty years. To learn more about Rich please visit www.richdigirolamo.com or http://heyskinny.blogspot.com