There are a few different ways to handle your waistline during the holiday season. One is to deny yourself of anything delicious, which may help your diet, but it certainly can’t be good for the soul (I’ve tried this method myself, and it is indeed soul-squashing). You can go the other route, too, indulging at every opportunity, and while this may be fun, your pants won’t fit by January (sadly, I’ve done this, too). Many people have food issues, and the holidays is a time when food is constantly being served in many different forms. So what are you supposed to do?
I believe in finding a balance. I don’t deny myself all the time, but I don’t like to overindulge too frequently, either. For example, I decided I wasn’t going to care about calories at Thanksgiving; and I proceeded to stuff myself like the turkey before us. But at holiday parties, I tend to refrain. We attend lots of different holiday events, and if I indulged at each of them, I’d gain twenty pounds in two months. Besides, the food at those things is rarely as good as what you could make at home. I like to reserve my intake for family gatherings with good food and loving people.
While I realize that this topic might not typically be associated with sustainability, I think it’s important to remember that maintaining a balance in what you eat during the holidays is the “sustainable” thing for your health. By allowing yourself to indulge on truly special occasions, you can manage your intake throughout the season. And come January, you won’t feel like you have to go on a crash diet or start running marathons by March just to fit back into your clothes. I think doing the yo-yo with weight is hard on the body, and I try to avoid doing so by striving to achieve balance.
*UPDATE: I just found this video, which is a perfect example of overindulgence. These two kitties are totally going to be busting out of their trousers by New Year’s. Watch as Winston, the flat-faced kitty, goes bananas. And celery.
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