Battling the holiday bulge with training

I have to admit, I'm kind of curious to see how training for a marathon/triathlon will affect my weight fluctuation over the next month or so. I think it could go either way. Either the running, swimming (and maybe biking?) will prevent weight gain, or the exercise will stimulate my appetite, and I'll consume more calories than I can possibly burn. 

At the risk of sounding immodest, I have to point out that I am not overweight, nor have I been in the past (OK fine, there may have been a few extra pounds in college). That's not to say I don't worry about weight gain, just like every other living, breathing woman out there. And, just like every other woman in her mid-twenties, I have definitely noticed a distinct slowing of my metabolism. I can't explain it, not exactly. It's a new dimple here, a curve there. A softening of my waist line that no amount of sit-ups can banish (I have several very valid excuses for this, though, and regularly explain them to my darling boyfriend. They include the following: Women need extra stomach fat to make babies, the blubber keeps my abdominal muscles warm, and the extra roll holds my pants up).

Though my metabolism has slowed, my eating has not, nor do I plan on curbing it. I love food. I love to eat. I emphasized all this in a previous post. Holiday eating is like its own entity though. Even aside from the actual "day of" holiday meals, there are so many seasonal goodies to inhale before they are ripped off the shelves until next year. 

Things I plan on consuming during the stretch from Thanksgiving to Christmas include: Starbucks Peppermint Mocha lattes with whipped cream; seasonal ice cream flavors, including but not limited to Peppermint Stick, from Stewart's, and Hot Cocoa, by Edy's;  Chilly Bear ice cream sandwiches;  sugar cookies shaped like trees and Santa with frosting and sprinkles; Reese's tree-shaped peanut butter cups; coffee creamers such as peppermint mocha, dark chocolate mint, and pumpkin spice (in my coffee, of course); and candy canes (although I suspect those are not highly caloric). I am sure there are a great deal of seasonal items I'm forgetting, so please, someone tell me what I can add. But don't say eggnog, because I hate eggnog. Any drink with egg in the name stays far away from my mouth. 

It should be interesting to see what prevails - exercise or food. Perhaps it will be neither. and the two will simply balance each other out. No matter what happens, there is one guarantee - my mouth will be exceedingly happy. 

Seriously though...does anyone have any further seasonal food suggestions?