stop making it so hard

(TWSS)

You guys.

I have to say something before I start screaming at random people.  Nobody likes that. Nobody.  (ok. I like yelling just a little bit)

A training client and I were talking yesterday about FOOD.  She was having so much anxiety with regards to holiday eating.  It’s so common.  This anxiety.  Not only was she starting to use the phrase, “BURN IT OFF” (which you know I hate) but she kept saying she’d have to “start over” on January 1st and she dreaded it.  I would too.  And I’ve definitely been there before.

This got me thinking about how much my views on the holidays and eating and balance have changed over the years.  I used to DREAD the holidays because it meant I’d either overindulge (and “feel fat”) or completely stop eating for fear of getting fat.  Neither were good scenarios and I was miserable.  Something clicked about 5-6 years ago and now I can say that I LOOK FORWARD to spending this special time with my family and friends.  What I learned is called BALANCE and it’s a critical (possibly the most important) element in this whole healthy living thing.

Balance.

Not feast or famine.

Not binge or starve.

BALANCE.

Balance is….

….having self-control around food…but not too much.

….exercising daily…with the right intentions.

….enjoying wine and treats and delicious homemade food…as well as green salads and smoothies and lemon water.

….spending the day in your pajamas making memories…because you rarely get to do that.

….saying no sometimes.

….saying yes sometimes.

….knowing that there’s no such thing as “burning off one’s food sins.”

Balance is maintainable, healthy and, ultimately, the only proven thing to give you LONG TERM results.

I hear a lot of people complaining about how they can’t do moderation or that they have no willpower. That’s bologna.  Did you know that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit??  (Galatians 5:22)  You can ask for it just like anything else.  You can practice self-control.  You can get better at moderation.  But like anything worth having, it takes time and effort.

I encourage you, I encourage all of us, to stop this “feast or famine” mentality.  The “my diet starts January 1st so I’m just gonna eat this whole tray of cookies now” thought process.  You’re just making it harder than it needs to be.

QUESTION:  What are YOUR thoughts on balance and the holidays??  Do you dread January because it means dieting??  <-Let me help you!  I have a BALANCED approach to dieting that might be right for you.  No supplements, no gimmicks.  Whole foods and accountability.  Email me at lindsayslist@gmail.com for more info.

splendid…lindsay