Please tell me I’m not the only one who gets super annoyed by all the pre and post holiday articles about weight loss, detox diets, etc. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be healthy, especially during a time of year that’s synonymous with rich decadent treats but COME ON! A few extra bites of macaroni n’ cheese, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and other delicious foods is not going to lead to substantial weight gain! I promise. In fact, I recently read somewhere that on average most people only gain one pound between Thanksgiving and Christmas. One pound, people!
And in my opinion food is not the only issue. I’ve read a lot recently about exercising to lose unwanted holiday weight. Ummm…if I’m not mistaken, the holidays are not even really here yet. Again, don’t get me wrong…I absolutely love exercise. What I don’t love is the mindset that people tend to take on during this time of year. “Don’t eat these foods. Make sure you do extra workouts to compensate for the extra calories you consumed. Blah, Blah, Blah.” I hate it!
I truly believe the holidays are meant to be enjoyed and savored. We should be reflecting on where we’ve been and where we are going. We should be giving more than receiving. We should be saying thanks for all the blessings in our lives. We should be smiling and laughing more. We should be spending time with loved ones.
We SHOULD NOT be focused on eating a little too much (or too little) or exercising more (or not enough). Relax and enjoy, people!
Take walks with your family. Play outside. Engage in a hula hoop competition with your sister…oh wait, that’s probably just me. The point is to just move. Don’t worry about fitting in long runs, spin classes, gym sessions, etc. If you are able to great, if not, it’s no big deal!
Also, eat delicious foods that you love with people that make you happy. But take the time to enjoy each and every bite.
And I’m honestly I’m not just saying this to say it. I lived it during my visit to Atlanta last week. My goal was to spend quality time with those I love and that’s what I did. I fit in exercise when I could (when no one else was home), I ate things I love that probably don’t fall into the “healthy” category, and I enjoyed every single minute of it!
Apple crisp made with real butter and real sugar…YUM!
Breakfast by mom – eggs with cheese and buttered toast
And these are just some example of the things I ate while at home (I wasn’t in a picture taking mood). For example, on Thanksgiving my mom made bean and cheese enchiladas. Sounds innocent enough, but the delicious sauce was made with whipping cream. I didn’t stress about it and think about how much I would have to work out to burn off all the calories. Nope. I ate a huge serving and licked my plate clean. It’s not every day that I get to eat that meal!
You see, I love that people are making a conscious effort to be healthy. However, instead of depriving yourself of the foods you love or overcompensating with exercise, try this – move as much as you can while hanging out with your loved ones, eat and truly enjoy your favorite foods in moderation, and really live in the present this holiday season. A pound or two or five isn’t the end of the world! And isn’t that why we make New Year’s resolutions anyway?!
Feels good to get that off my chest! 