It’s almost December, which means eggnog, cookies, candy, gravy, breads, stuffing, desserts, appetizers, and of course, chocolate. Any of my regular followers know I am on a Journey to the 10KM, sponsored by Liquid Gym. I am currently 130 lbs less than April of this year and 160 less my highest weight. So today, on #givingtuesday I am giving my advice on holiday eating. #diettips
Here we go:
1. When food comes around during the holidays, and you want to eat it, then eat it. Do not let anyone shame you, and by that I mean do not let you shame you. Starting the holiday season with guilt and shame will only make you eat more.
2. When you choose to eat said food, ENJOY IT!~ When we choose “sinful” food, we must be mindful when eating it. Otherwise it is a waste of calories. If you are going to enjoy it, then ENJOY it! Enjoy each flavour on your tongue. Savour each morsel and bite. You are treating yourself, so treat yourself and have no guilt! Starting the holiday season with guilt and shame will only make you eat more.
3. Choose wisely. You are eating food that is likely lovingly made by a nice old grandma or a large corporation. Either way, love/money/greed were put into making the food in front of you. The reality is that we cannot eat everything. Trust me, in past year’s I have tried and only ended up 400 lbs with a bad case of diabetes. If you are going to enjoy your food then choose the one that you will truly enjoy. I like butter tarts, but are they where I want to spend all my holiday enjoyment? Nope, I am an Mint Chocolate gal. It’s like sex; overall a variety of options is nice, but in the end finding that one thing you really really enjoy is the best choice! Eat it without shame, because starting the holiday season with guilt and shame will only make you eat more.
4. Limit Wisely. Yes, now is when we have to add limits. We have chosen our few favourite treats. Now we enjoy them, like really enjoy them. You watch me with a box of After Eight Mints and if I don’t limit myself I end up toppled over with pain at the end of the night with only melted chocolate around my mouth and eyes glazed over from happiness and excess blood sugar. So choose, enjoy but limit yourself. It again is like sex; the right amount is amazing, but too much just gets boring and you start playing candy crush during the finish. It becomes less special if you have too much. With food AND sex, eat/do it without shame, because starting the holiday season with guilt and shame will only make you eat more.
Those are my diet tips for this 2016 holiday season. Shame is the worst. Women do it to themselves all the time. Weight Watchers is already advertising their “get rid of the holiday weight” campaign. They make so much money shaming women to be a standard of beauty.
I am asked for the secret to my success. How did I lose so much weight? My formula was simple; two years of eating disorder counselling, gastric bypass surgery, learning not to shame myself, limit myself and exercise. I am not successful everyday, but I get up, do my best and never have shame about my weight before or now. I love myself first and I love myself to allow some treats, and to enjoy those treats with every ounce of my being. Life is about living, truly living and balancing the living a long life with living a good life. So stop stressing, do what you need to do for you and pass the After Eights.
Also Floss.