Time to get serious.

I'm serious! For me, my birthday is the beginning of the holiday season, and as it is with just about everyone, the holiday season comes with many many delicious calories. Back in my scrawny April days (through high school), I didn't pay any attention to the benefits of consuming all the holiday goodies because I just didn't gain weight, and if I did, I really didn't notice it. But now that I'm nearing 30, those calories like to stick to me a lot more than they did in the good 'ole days.

Usually around birthday time, I just go with it and eat what I want because I figure...It's my birthday and damnit, I deserve it! And then Turkey Day rolls around and I'm finding that my jeans aren't fitting so well and I try to keep my eating in check throughout Christmas and New Years. And that's what I did this year. Amy made me the most AWESOME Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey's Frosting. That's right, this cake has chocolate, beer and liquor...what more could a girl want? So I have been happily eating chocolate cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I highly recommend finding a best friend who is also a talented baker.

In addition, I'm IBM (Italian by Marriage), which means that I hit the culinary jackpot when I married Greg. For the last 3 years, I have been fortunate enough to eat the most amazing and delicious home cooked Italian family meals made from recipes that have been perfected and passed down from generation to generation. My favorite? Big Mama's Spaghetti Gravy. Big Mama was Greg's grandmother and I hope that one day you get to experience a meal like the ones she created. Also lucky for me is the fact that Greg, his mother and his father are all wonderful cooks. So for my birthday, Greg's mom made a big batch of gravy, which I have also been eating on for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Oh yeah...and a cheesecake-must not forget the cheesecake. I highly recommend marrying into an Italian family.So what I'm trying to get at here is that my pants are feeling pretty snug at the moment and I realize that unless I want to get to the point where I have to buy new pants, I'd better get serious about eating healthier and getting my ass in gear with running and weights. Oh yeah, and a few days after my birthday, I stepped on a scale and discovered that I had gained 7 pounds in one week. Ugh. Kathy Smith, here I come.