TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!

Yes folks. That is what I said. TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!. That is a decision I have to make and I cannot wait a day longer.

You, see, I made a promise to myself at the end of last summer. I spent last summer, as I always do, going to BBQs with friends, meeting people at restaurants, having dinner parties etc., and yes...drinking wine :-) I LOVE the summer!

Throughout the entire period, however, I went to my weekly Weight Watcher's meetings and bitched about how HARD it was to lose weight at this time of year because the summer is full of events and get-togethers are planned so last minute it just makes the whole season so "unpredictable".

Then....at the end of the summer I had this realization. SUMMER IS THE SAME EVERY YEAR! There are always BBQs, there are always restaurants, there are always dinner parties, and yes...there is ALWAYS wine!

Guess what that means? It means that in actual fact summer is the MOST predictable time of the year. I may not know exactly when things are going to happen but I can be pretty damn sure they are indeed going to happen!

When I realized this, I vowed to remember it this summer. I knew that the only way of coping with the perpetual "unknown" is to be prepared for it, and that means being good (and healthy) every single minute of the summer that is not an "event".

It is so easy for me to go out for dinner one night and then not worry about breakfast and lunch the next day because I'm going out again the next night. What's the point right?

This week the warm weather has arrived and with it the socializing. Last Thursday was a night out with our friend Ian, last night we had a very healthy BBQ (and wine) with our friend Cara and then three guests staying at our B&B joined in, and tonight our friends Maurizio and Diane will be coming over. Love it!

That tells me, however, that summer is here! The socializing has begun and so the summer plan must kick into place. I cannot wait one day longer!

So from this second until the end of September I am going to do my best to be smart about my food choices every single time I am on my own or it is just Jamie and I.

Of course I need to try to make healthy choices at social events too...but lets face it...it is going to be more fattening, so planning around these events is critical!

Wish me luck and....be healthy!

Alan