Navigating the Minefield of Holiday Eating!

We are in the thick of it now! Many of you have already been to some parties, including your own. But holiday eating is not over! We really have to survive until at least January 1st.

What I would like to do here is to give you a bit of health and fitness encouragement. What I mean is that I would like to give you a bit of support for getting through this time of year. Support that will help you to not end up feeling like you have gone too far, that will keep you out of the trenches of overindulgence.

When the New Year Arrives

That’s because what I don’t want to see is anyone feeling repentant when the New Year comes along. I don’t want to see anyone rushing into a new diet or vigorous exercise program in order to undo pervious “transgressions”. If you know anyone like that, tell them to stop, take a few deep breaths, and reconsider.

The Holidays are an exceptional time of year. Because of that, it’s a veritable minefield of goodies, seasonal special foods, weird eating patterns, extra things to do, and stresses, some of which come from our families. We live in a privileged country where we have the luxury of all that. And, we can pretty much count on this happening every year.

Doing Things Differently

That being the case, let’s remind ourselves that we also have the opportunity to do things a little differently each year. For instance:

Do NOT dump on yourself if you feel like you have blown it. That is a total waste of energy and angst. Truth is, you probably WILL blow it at some point or other. I mean, when all there is to pick from is party food of various kinds, and it is dinner time, and you are hungry, the choices are limited. You don’t have the time or inclination to skip the party and prepare something at home. Forgive yourself and move on. It was one event, or even one season, and you WILL get back to normal quite soon.
Lets face it, when you go to a party, you are at the mercy of what is on the menu. ON TOP OF THAT, many of the items are dangerously attractive visually, and highly palatable. Much more interesting than, say, one of your usual dinners of chicken and a couple of vegetables. Here is where a little discernment really pays off. TRY THIS: Start with the available items that most closely resemble lean proteins, low fat items, and vegetables. Eat those until you are almost full. Then treat yourself to a few other things that you are most likely to enjoy. Don’t pick items just because you never get them otherwise, or you know your neighbor put a lot of time into it, or they look colorful and attractive. This might be difficult. Pick a few items that you are pretty sure will be satisfying, and then eat them slowly, enjoying the moment. No stuffing them in while you are distracted!
Remind yourself that no one is watching what you are eating. Even if they are (like you are at the same table), what you eat is your business. You are free to make your choices. Hopefully these are based on what you know is good for your body or not far off the mark. AND you do not have to eat some stuff just because you always do! You can always learn new tricks and try new strategies that will serve you better going forward. Another key to this is to feel good about your choices. Let go of feeling deprived because you haven’t tried three more deserts.

These mindset shifts can be a great way to set yourself up for a healthier, leaner, New Year. One where you don’t have to punish yourself for overindulging, but rather start you off on a different path of making positive changes slowly, a few habits at a time.

All for now,

Cheers and Happy Holidays,
Kristen