‘Tis the season.
I can feel your panic.
Rainbow lights filling the neighborhood. Different Christmas carols in every store. Snow (or frost) on the ground. The urgent obligation to get the perfect gift. A social calendar with enough appointments to fill 3 months.
It’s here. The busiest, most expensive and most tempting time of the year.
Open houses, parties, home-baked goodies, huge meals, sugar plums (whatever those are), candy canes and eggnog threaten the progress you’ve made to reduce your thigh size.
It’s all in the essence of good tidings, cheer, and showing your loved ones that… well… you love them. The temptation, the guilt, the obligation is all too much, so you cave. You have one food slip, and the rest of the season is a lost cause.
And despite the smiles, hugs and holiday cheer, you’re secretly hating that you got bumped from your own priority list.
(Tweetastic!!)
Why does this happen? What the heck is the dealio?
It happens every year.
I see it all the time. In fact, in my naturopathic practice I see it even before it starts. At this time of year, people come in for the same reason they always do – they’re sick and tired of being sick and tired. After listening and deducing, I make food and lifestyle recommendations.
They say, “Maybe I should just wait and start after Christmas.” They’re not so sick and tired of being sick and tired that they want to make the changes today. They want to start tomorrow. And in this case, tomorrow is 6-8 weeks away.
As I’ve said in previous articles, getting healthy isn’t something we do once. We have to do it every single day.
In the past, my holiday-themed article has been very practical. I provided strategies to get through the season unscathed by sweets and surpluses. If you want those tips you can find them here.
I still think the tips are useful. I also think it’s time we get honest and look at this more deeply.
I see two problems:
1. Consuming something you don’t want to consume to make someone else happy.
2. Allowing lame excuses to supersede your health goals which you’ve been working so hard on.
I’m going to list 5 hard and thought-provoking questions to help you gain perspective, and possibly (hopefully) re-frame this tendency. It’s time for tough love.
Question 1
Are you and your goals not valuable? You’re quick to slip. I’m curious why your priorities get bumped for politeness.
Question 2
Are you hungry? Seriously. Are you? Or are you eating because you’re nervous? Stressed? Sad? Awkward?
Question 3
Do you even like that food? Don’t eat something just because it’s given to you or is front of you. Re-gift it. Ain’t no shame in that.
Question 4
Will this food support you and your highest good? Or are you eating out of guilt? Pressure? Boredom?
Question 5
Why would you do anything but honor yourself and your goals? What are you trying to prove, and to whom? Keep in mind, that your health belongs to you and no one else. You are in charge. You make the calls.
(Tweet it – the world needs that one.)
Your greatest gift to yourself is practicing good health-promoting behaviors. And it’s the holidays, it’s good to be generous.
The goal is consciousness
The purpose of these questions is to help you slow down, tune in. It’s time to get curious, become aware. In her life-changing book, Women Food and God, Geneen Roth describes how we can use our cravings and our relationship with food to deepen our self understanding, forgiveness and love.
The more you can notice the impulse to grab another cheese doodle or chocolate thingamabob, question it, and hear what it is really about, the more you’ll be able to grow. But in the spiritual way, not the physical way.
What if it’s too late?
Maybe you blew it. You gorged. You don’t feel well physically or emotionally. What now?
Forgive yourself. You’re only human. You may have fallen off the wagon and on to the dessert cart, but it is never too late to jelly roll yourself off and start over. One lapse does not have to seal your fate.
Your progress is not destined to spiral into an over-eating abyss. One bad day, one bad hour, one bad food choice is not the end of the world. It’s the consistent behaviors that add up over time for a big result.
Consciously decide to stick to your plan. Come back to those questions. Ask yourself why you gave in. What was that really all about?
I’d love to hear your insights below. Do you have any self-check methods you use to keep yourself working towards your goals?
Here’s to your jivin’ Health and thrivin’ Life this holiday season,
Dr. Tonia
P.S. Please pass this along if you found it valuable. I believe the world needs more healthy, happy people.
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P.P.P.S. Women, Food, and God you can check it out here:
