For somebody predisposed to gaining weight, this time of year is a mine field. Abundant high calorie food tempts the palate. Colder weather allows one to hide behind additional layers of clothes. Alcohol flows at parties. A national holiday dedicated to gluttony lurks at month's end.

My LA Triathlon training plans were placed on hold thanks to the temporary closing of the Venice Pool which has now dragged on for weeks.

Unfortunately, the day after Thanksgiving, I stared a scale that simply had to be wrong.

Still, I haven't given up. I've come too far to let my gains slip away. I spent the remainder of the holiday weekend hiking on Mount Baldy. Without swimming, I've focused on tennis, doing my best to make the ladder in the Santa Monica Tennis Club.

My cholesterol remains good, although it did sneak back up to 185. My blood pressure and all my other biomarkers remain normal, but the trend is wrong, so I've got to break the emotional bond with holiday food and eat modestly again.