The Seasons of My Year

Happy 2016! I know the idea of resolutions is popular. I tend to have wishes rather than hard core resolutions. You can fall off a resolution wagon fairly fast, but a wish is something you can keep having. One of my wishes this year is practically the same wish I have every year–To be a healthy weight. I probably make this wish on New Years because of the way my year is divided up into seasons.
I don’t really have meteorological seasons, but eating seasons. Today is the first day of “hard core healthy eating, nose to the grind stone watching my weight season.” I know I am not alone in this season. This week is the number one week for Weight Watcher new member joining and health club sign ups.  
The reason this season even exists is that I have just left the “eating season” – You know the time between Thanksgiving and New Years. For some people it starts at Halloween, but I was able to hold it off this year until the crack pie came to town. This year’s “eating season” was more out of control that unusual because I stopped getting on the scale. That is never a good idea. I know that getting on the scale helps remind me not to let too loose during the eating season, but the mere act of putting sugar in my system makes me do crazy things.
The first few days of “healthy eating season” starts with the detox from sugar days. These are not pretty, but thoroughly necessary if I am to get back in the lower numbers. After the crazy getting off sugar ends then comes the jubilation from dropping five pounds fast.  
The “hard core diet season” usually lasts about six weeks then the “boredom with healthy food season” starts. This is the worst time of year for fresh fruits and vegetables. My only way to push through this time is to make a big list of healthy foods I like to eat and make lots of different dishes with varying flavor profiles. I don’t know why I need to be reminded that I really like cabbage and have no need for chocolate at this time of year, maybe the Easter bunny has something to do with it.
Spring brings the “outdoor workout season” that adds a new layer to the diet season. And just as I get myself back to where I want to be “vacation eating season” comes along to throw me off track. Of course I feel like I have been so deprived for six months since my last eating season so I give myself a little leeway.
Then I have that one last push of “back to school healthy eating season” in fear of what will happen when the eating season comes back around again. This year I really should have had more fear, or did my best to skip the eating season.  
I wish I could have a year divided up into winter, spring, summer and fall, but that is not the way I am wired. I really I wish that I could skip the “eating season” and just eat healthy all the time. That would mean I had gotten a lot smarter. Next year I guess I should add brains to my New Years wish list. I could switch to resolutions and resolve to use the brain I have, but that seems like asking a lot at my age.