I’ll just get straight to the point: a holiday is ONE DAY. Sure, this time of year, there are a few more days (all those eves), but I’ll give you FIVE, max. Five indulgent days in four weeks does not an 8 lb weight gain warrant!
So, don’t start having a meltdown in the days leading up to a day or the days following. LIKE TODAY!
- Be smart with leftovers! Stick with the turkey (throw it on a salad with some cranberries) and leftover veggies today; also I’d say allow yourself one more reasonable serving of the one thing you really love and can’t live without. Then move on.
- Don’t give yourself a free pass to have dessert at every meal! Just because there is leftover dessert, Christmas cookies at the office, etc. doesn’t mean you have to get crazy. You don’t eat dessert all the time in July, so don’t need to do it now.
- Don’t tell yourself and everyone around you, “I’m just going to gain 10 lbs before Christmas, I always do.” WELL STOP IT. I can’t stand when people predict their own inevitable weight gain, as if that food is like entering their bodies while they are asleep or something.
- Stop telling yourself that this is the only time you’re ever going to have X, Y, Z! Last time I checked, most foods are available year round, year after year. I mean, people, there was a national pumpkin shortage this year, yet somehow that pie still made it to the table!
Five days, if you celebrate with a big meal or a lot of alcohol on all of them. Logically, not that much damage should be done. No one is force-feeding you sugary foods, locking you out of your gym, burning your workout DVDs, and funneling champagne down your throat. Take control over the next month and take responsibility for your healthy habits!
You can still win a baseball game even if you have a few strike-outs. Do not throw away a month of healthy habits because of five days!
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Point well made! I cooked less this year and overall most of it was quite healthy, so any leftovers that do get scarfed won’t do much damage. My temptation, however, remains in the fridge–I tried to give away half of the pumpkin pie-flan leftovers but Mr. Laura was having none of it! So one tiny slice, on a tiny plate, will be eaten with one tiny spoon tonight, but then no more.
BTW, congrats on your first Thanksgiving! It looked off the chain….
.-= Laura Georgina´s last blog ..Happy Turkey Day! =-.
Haha, so true I don’t know why ppl feel the need to do that. I brought leftovers home but only a little bit. No desserts were taken home and I onl had one slice of cake. That’s something that can be eaten anytime…no biggie
.-= Nicci@NiftyEats´s last blog ..Full Belly T-Day =-.
Thank you! It drives me nuts too, when people say “I’m going to gain weight…” like it has to happen. Just knowing that it is likely puts you in control to do something about it. Take responsibility! (I know, I’m preaching to the choir.)
amazing post, just reread it as a reminder
.-= melissa (fitnessnyc)´s last blog ..Going the Distance =-.