Holiday Dieting? No Thanks.

I am all for healthy eating and an active lifestyle. I do not diet. Admittedly, I used to diet, but all it did was make me crave things until I overindulged. Through the years I’ve learned to just eat healthier. If I’m craving something, I have it in moderation. I also exercise at least five times a week.

With all that being said, I definitely do not deprive myself of my mother’s home cooking and treats around the holidays. Why should I punish myself when I’m so good all year long?

That’s why an email I got the other day really ticked me off. It sounded good enough, “Tips for Making Healthier Choices This Holiday Season.” It had some good wisdom in it. For example, “Eat small meals during the day if you’re planning on a big holiday meal later in the day. Drink a lot of water because it’s vital for healthy digestion.” That’s all perfectly reasonable. But then the email said, “If you want pie, skip the mashed potatoes and gravy.” WHAT?

I’m sorry. Again, I fully believe in and live a healthy lifestyle. I don’t believe that living a healthy lifestyle should always be a struggle of give and take. However, the holiday season comes once a year. You should be able to enjoy the holiday season without being loaded with guilt over what you did or did not eat.

There will be plenty of credit card bills full of holiday shopping purchases that will be coming in January. That’s when I’ll start feeling guilty — not because I had another piece of pie on Christmas Eve.