EDITOR’S NOTE: Jeanette Balmut has been selected to participate in the Year of You, a fitness challenge hosted by The Manteca Bulletin, CalFit Manteca and CORE Athletic Performance. Balmut is keeping a weekly journal, highlighting the strides and struggles of her fitness journey. These are her thoughts and feelings shared with you.

Day 337
Today the whole family is going to the city (San Francisco) for our annual Christmas trip.  I look so forward to this day, but it does come with splurging so before I leave I am up at 5 a.m. and at the gym getting my workout it.  I have to keep this up, no exceptions, right? 
We arrive at the city and its nice, a little overcast but not too crowded — then the rain starts.  And never stops.  Most of the day was spent INSIDE, which is a bummer when we look so forward to walking the city and seeing everything.  Still fun and a tradition.
We stop at our favorite on the way home….Harry’s Hof Brau in San Leandro.  Nothing like it, really!  It was all bad — at least I split it with Myklyn, the only “good” thing I did.
Day 338 
Its cardio day but I have to go to the gym before work because I have so much to do after work.  I get to the gym, its freezing but I am the first one here and I get to work.  I set the cardio to “fat burning” and let it do its job.  I speed up, slow down, incline then lowers all while maintain a good pace and good sweat.  I feel like it did its job.
Day 339 
I’m off today, I have company arriving from out of town and I want everything perfect.  First I MUST work out.  It’s so easy to just push it off and let it slide but I can’t. I have to maintain this schedule.  I get in a workout in the morning of straight cardio and then I will meet Javi later today for my weight training. 
I get to the gym for the second time today at 4:40 for a 5 p.m. work out.   I warm up and wait for Javi.  Seems to be a mix up in our times and he doesn’t show, so I decide to just get in another self-work out. I look around the gym and to my surprise CAL FIT got a Christmas delivery…..New Stairmasters.  I am so excited, they are beautiful.  Top of the line and they make you want to just jump on and get to work.  I do just that.  I love them, I feel like it was a gift just for me…lol!
Day 340 
Christmas Eve does not mean I get to rest.  It means I still need to work out so that I can enjoy my Christmas tomorrow (big breakfast and amazing dinner). 
I decide to work core today so that hopefully I’m nice and sore tomorrow so it will make me not want to eat….not a chance! 
I make wheat pancakes for everyone and bacon and we have hot cocoa with peppermint and all the warm snuggly stuff you have on a cold rainy day.
I enjoyed everything and didn’t feel too much quilt.
Day 341 
Merry Chrsitmas — no work out for me today.  That’s ok, it worth it.  Santa arrives and everyone enjoys their gifts.  Breakfast at house with 13 of us.  Everything was so good and so worth all the calories. 
We had a great day, an amazing dinner at my sister’s with prime rib and the works.  I had dessert and kept it to a small portion, but loved every bite of it!  I even had a piece of See’s candy. 
Day 342 
Rise and shine and out the door to the gym — .that was the plan. It never happened.   I was so disappointed in myself that I actually didn’t work out for two days.  I had every intention of it but we went to the movies, hung out, played games and by the end of the day I just never went to the gym.  I went to bed feeling mad at myself and knowing I was going to go extra hard tomorrow.
Day 343
Since I have two weeks till my first ever 15K I know I better start getting in some long runs/walks.  I decide today is that day.  I gear up and tell my family not to worry about me (I have no idea how long this will take).  I end up doing 8.35 miles (about one mile short of a 15K) and finish in one hour and 54 minutes.  It’s not fast, but I feel good and now I know I should be able to handle the 15K in San Francisco. 
It’s back to normal around our house.  That means Mike is barbequing and I toss a salad and steam some broccoli.  We have a good dinner and we pack up the leftovers for our lunches. 
I have said it before and I look forward to my daily routine. It’s so much easier to stay on track when you pack a good healthy breakfast and lunch and you are not home eating holiday treats!
Anxious to see what the scale has to say in the morning.  Hoping for it to have not gone up too much!