When did it start?

Was it the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving, when you whipped up your pie filling as Nat King Cole sang “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire . . .”

Was it the first week of December, when the containers filled with homemade Chex Mix started arriving at your office?

Or maybe it was in the Christmas mail, bringing that annual box of See’s “Nuts and Chews” from a friend across the miles?

When did it end? Was it last Thursday night around midnight, as you pushed your last buffet plate aside and scratched a few bloated notes on a cocktail napkin: “Start diet tomorrow! But swipe leftover deep-fried Oreos from friend’s plate first.”

Let’s face it. The six weeks from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day can be one long slog of eating and drinking. Even the most disciplined folks are likely to fall off the wagon at some point in the season and dust the powdered sugar cookie crumbs off their lapels.

It happens.

So now that the last morsel is gone and there’s no sweet-infused holiday for another six weeks, how are you going to get back to a more normal life?

Statistics suggest that only 8 percent of people who make New Year’s resolutions actually achieve them. And like the holiday’s groaning buffet board, there is no shortage of information about “getting back on track” and “setting goals.”

There are books, websites, YouTube videos, devices and smartphone apps that can help you count steps and calories. Experts abound, some of them spouting their “tried and true” wisdom in television infomercials, newspapers and social media.

You can fast, flush, crash diet and juice some super foods. You can join a gym, sign up for a yoga class or take the solo approach to exercise, putting one foot in front of the other on a regular basis.

I caught up with Lisa Fontaine, owner of The Health Club & Spa at 1977 Lisbon Road in Lewiston, last Sunday. She was hosting an open house, offering free aerobic classes, seated chair massage and snacks from Tripp’s Primal Farm and Kafe in Auburn.

“January is actually our second busiest month of the year,” she said. “March is the busiest because that’s when people start thinking about getting in shape for the beach.”

As Fontaine gave a tour around the bright and busy facility, she offered some critical advice whatever you do: “Fitness should be fun, not a job you do.”

I stopped by the Tripp’s table to sample some of the healthy goodies. Brittany Carrier recommended the no-bake peanut butter treats, which contain honey, oats, peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips. High in protein, they’re a tasty way to recharge after a workout. (Tripp’s wouldn’t divulge the recipe for obvious reasons; the one provided with this story is an alternative.)

I grabbed the healthy Tripp’s treat just as Kathy Saunders finished instructing a “Boot Camp” fitness class. Saunders, a former power lifter, teaches three classes a week at The Health Club and Spa. When I asked her for post-holiday tips, she admitted there was a lot of information available and it could be overwhelming. She offered some fundamental wisdom: “You need to get moving.”

Saunders noted that she uses an online food tracker to help her stay the course. “Protein is essential to my diet,” she said, adding she avoids extremes.

When asked about joining a gym or going it alone, she offered these final after-the-holidays words to the wise: Find “the place that is the right fit for you. It’s about your health. Do what’s going to make you a healthier human being so you can enjoy your life.”

Julie-Ann Baumer lives, cooks and writes from her home in Lisbon Falls. Read her blog www.julieannbaumer.com or follow her on twitter @aunttomato.

Almond butter energy snacks

1 cup creamy almond butter

1/2 cup oats

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (reserve 1/2 cup for rolling your snacks in)

1/3 cup raw local honey (the author used wild raspberry from Maine Maple Products Inc.)

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate mini-chips

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

In a large bowl, mix the almond butter, oats, honey, 1/2 cup of the coconut, chocolate mini-chips and sea salt. Form into 1 1/2-inch balls and roll them in the reserved shredded coconut. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes approximately 12.