It’s a new year, and you know what that means, don’t you? Health books are flying off the shelves; bathroom scales are being used to weigh more than just luggage; and hoards of eager, anxious, diet-obsessed resolutioners are stampeding their local fitness centers in the rush to get fit. 

As a dietitian, I have a love-hate relationship with this yearly phenomenon. On the one hand, I’m thrilled to see so many people making an effort to eat right and get in shape. (Woohoo!) It’s every health professional’s dream come true! And I love answering people’s questions about nutrition. On the other hand, the onslaught of ridiculous fad diets and the overcrowded gyms (Um, excuse me?! That’s been my machine all year. Move aside buddy!) tend to make me a tad crazy. As soon as December 26^th rolls around, I start marking down the days on my calendar and battening down the hatches for the January health storm.

This time of year makes me miss my days as a gymnast. The training schedules were consistent year-round, I wasn’t packed in like a sardine while I worked out, and the new year meant the start of competition season rather than the start of an (insert random food here)-only diet. Oh, the wonder of it all! 

If you were a gymnast, then you know what I mean.  Of course it’s tough going to practice during the holidays when everyone else is lounging around in their pjs, but didn’t you secretly love the emptiness of the gym? No tiny kiddos running across mats in the middle of your routines, full control of the radio, and all the 8-inchers you could possibly want – score! And didn’t you relish the chance to come early and stay late because you had nothing else to do? And if you’re a female, didn’t you glow with pride as you showed off the new leo that Santa brought you?

So to all the gymnasts who are coming off of holiday schedules now and getting ready for competition season, I hope your holidays were joyful and that you took advantage of your time in the big, empty gym. Now that I'm an old fart who works out with the rest of the sweaty sardines, those memories remind me once again that gymnastics really is the greatest sport on the planet.

Cheers to 2014 and all the great gymnastics to come!