<p>“Where is everyone? Our thread was on page THREE!!!”</p>
<p>Shopping at lulu. 
Picked up gifts for the runner kiddo and non-runner kiddo who runs. Went safe with Silverscent tees and running tanks. Saw the yoga “Runsie” and was sooo tempted to try it just for the heck of it! It is so ridiculous it is cool. B-) </p>
<p>I was really tired last night and crashed after my weights and squats. But I did them! </p>
<p>Very afraid to input calories into myfitnesspal today. Very afraid. Still have another party to attend.</p>
<p>Ohiopublic, I laughed reading your post 'cause it was exactly the same for me yesterday. Started the day with a good breakfast and then things went to hell :). Hit the office to find the annual box of chocolate toffee crunch awaiting me. I succumbed to 3 pieces as I do every year. Then someone sent in a tray of big thick deli sandwiches and I wasn’t too bad with the three inch thick half a turkey sandwich I had - until I spied the huge fresh baked oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies. One of each anyone? Fortunately, there’s only one holiday party left, a family Chanukah celebration Sunday evening. I’m spending all day today and tomorrow working out 'cause I know I’m gonna have a meltdown over the sweet potato latkes =P~ .</p>
<p>But ya know what, who cares! I’ve kind of planned for any daily indulgences with the rest of my eating all week long, it’s a week or so out of a 52 week year and through moderation at other meals and continued exercising, I actually lost a half a lb over the last week, so I’ll just treat this as a field test of what it will take to gain it back .</p>
<p>Idad, that crash is both terrifying and hilarious.
Extra terrifying for me, since the road to my house is lousy with deer…and their confident sprinting, five at a time, has caused an especially high volume of crashes here, so I don’t like my odds over time even though I’ve developed especially good peripheral vision at night ;)</p>
<p>Hilarious because what was the deer thinking, really. Hey, I can beat that cyclist, he’s only going 28 mph! I swear sometimes I think its a game for them.</p>
<p>idad - even though I knew something was coming in that video, I had no idea what. That deer startled the he_ _ out of me!</p>
<p>Managed to get in my reservoir run yesterday; 2x around, so 5 miles. I was afraid I was going to have to take the puppy to her vet appointment in my post-run sweaty state, but had just enough time to get in a quick shower. Spent the rest of the day gathering all things Christmas to take to the beach. We drove down last night. Big dinner out with friends tonight – I’m hoping I can exercise some restraint.</p>
<p>Interesting reading
<a href=“How Exercise Changes Our DNA - The New York Times”>How Exercise Changes Our DNA - The New York Times;
<p>The deer really startled me, too!</p>
<p>3 mile run, 19 chilly degrees! Got it in before picking my D and bf up at the airport later today. 10 days of craziness and happy fun times to come! </p>
<p>Everyone have a great holiday and new year. I’m packing my running clothes and hope to get at least a walk in almost everyday. </p>
<p>For cyclists, it’s usually not the first deer you see that gets you; it’s the next one you don’t see as you focus on the first!</p>
<p>Shockingly, for only the 2nd day this month, the SUN is out! I got a late start, but it was 38 and sunny. I ran from the house and my legs were dead, but did 5 miles. The sun felt SO good.</p>
<p>If it’s any cosolation (and lord knows I need some consolation), I heard a great quote this week.</p>
<p>It’s not what you eat between Thanksgiving and New Years. It’s what you eat between New Years and Thanksgiving. </p>
<p>That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I’m also getting ready to dust off MyPlate for my annual food tracking refresher course! Holiday cashews and clementines are killing me. And, this year I have conclusively proven my suspicion that I have a seasonal 5 pounds.</p>
<p>Ohio, thank you for the link! That is amazing! And what a clever way to set up a control group. 
Sending it to my genome researcher friends. </p>
<p>I just got my initial results back from the 23andme DNA test. I’m 2,7% Neanderthal. Most of my friends assumed it was a higher %.</p>
<p>The deer surpised me!!</p>
<p>Hiking yesterday with the camera; walking with H today.</p>
<p>I have a question. DD would like a yoga mat for Christmas. Can anyone recommend one from Amazon (prime eligible) that would be best? She’ll be carrying it around with her on a bus, to her grad school, etc. Is a carrying strap useful, or just a pain? Thanks! Like abasket, I’m scrambling to get our Christmas in order.</p>
<p>GoFit yoga mats are nice and readily available. The straps are a real convenience if you are carrying the mat around… Serve the dual function of keeping the mat rolled tight and enabling you to sling over a shoulder for easy carrying. Straps are usually removable (wrap around the mat with Velcro) so they don’t impede using the mat.</p>
<p>I watched the video after having read a bunch of these posts so I was waiting for the deer. ;)</p>
<p>These yoga mats do not blend quietly into the background, but they are fun to look at nonetheless. I don’t know if they’d really work for using in a class.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cafepress.com.au/+beautybeneaththesurfacerug_yoga_mat,1272544159”>http://www.cafepress.com.au/+beautybeneaththesurfacerug_yoga_mat,1272544159</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cafepress.com/+waterflowersrug_yoga_mat,1274310016”>http://www.cafepress.com/+waterflowersrug_yoga_mat,1274310016</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.popsugar.com.au/fitness/photo-gallery/35108378/image/35108385/Lavender-Yoga-Mat-50Stockists-Kaumka”>http://www.popsugar.com.au/fitness/photo-gallery/35108378/image/35108385/Lavender-Yoga-Mat-50Stockists-Kaumka</a></p>
<p><a href=“Stylish Home Gym Equipment | POPSUGAR Fitness”>Stylish Home Gym Equipment | POPSUGAR Fitness;
<p><a href=“http://www.cafepress.com/+flower_power_yoga_mat,1295825757?utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=1295825757&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=sem-cpc-product-ads&utm_content=search-pla”>http://www.cafepress.com/+flower_power_yoga_mat,1295825757?utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=1295825757&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=sem-cpc-product-ads&utm_content=search-pla</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.popsugar.com.au/fitness/photo-gallery/35108378/image/35108388/Padoga-Yoga-Mat-40Stockists-Kamuka”>http://www.popsugar.com.au/fitness/photo-gallery/35108378/image/35108388/Padoga-Yoga-Mat-40Stockists-Kamuka</a></p>
<p>I’ve had a few of those holiday cashews too iDad. Interesting perspective that NY to Thanksgiving theory. :)</p>
<p>Going to put on my running clothes now and make myself get a couple miles in before dark. Been baking cookies this afternoon - need some fresh air!!!</p>
<p>I should do searches like that more often. I have the prettiest ads coming up on the side of the page now! It’s going to be a light home workout for me today. </p>
<p>That was a quick selection of images I thought looked cool. Obviously I wasn’t looking at the price… If anyone really wants an art mat I even came across a make your own kit at one point in the search. Art falls under “wellness” for me. :)</p>
<p>My exercise has been wrapping gifts and trying to finish decorating the house and generally running around doing everything that I need to do–have 10,000 steps with no extra walking/exercise. Will go to yoga tomorrow. Youngest D is home from Philly late tonight and she’ll go to yoga with me tomorrow.</p>
<p>Idad: that video was scary. The deer in my area are everywhere and it’s my fear that one day I’ll end up hitting one.</p>
<p>Deb: those mats would stand out like a sore thumb in the studio where I take yoga. The women (it’s 99% women–only one or two men in classes and only on the weekend) who go here are very serious about their practice. Guess it depends on the studio.</p>
<p>Plantmom: I have a GoFit mat, which I love. The velcro straps are great and make carrying the mat around very easy.</p>