Dieting Over the Holidays

The retail diet plan

I have a helpful hint for anyone who wants to avoid weight gain over the winter holidays. It's a simple hint, but I swear that it worked for me -- just work 35-40 hours a week at a busy retail store.

I lost ten pounds between November 10 and January 10. I ate my usual peanut butter and toast for breakfast, and I took a sandwich to work for lunch. That was conservative enough, but every night when I got home from work, I enjoyed supper and a liberal amount of homemade Christmas candy.

When I went to the doctor in mid-December, he told me to keep my job because it was good for me. My cholesterol was up a little (probably from the Christmas candy!) but I had actually lost some weight. I have to get a cholesterol re-check in a couple of months, but I expect it to be OK now that the Christmas candy is all gone.

The retail worker's day is full of light exercise, done quickly -- lifting, walking, carrying, reaching, bending, kneeling, climbing, etc. At my store, if you're on the clock you're standing, even if you aren't working. All in all, it's the most effective weight-loss plan I've ever experienced.

To be honest, if I hadn't been working, I would have spent a good portion of November and December sitting at my computer, where I burn a minimum of calories! I usually gain at least 5 pounds over the holidays. I do agree with the doctor that my job has been good for my health, though it certainly has cut into my blogging time!