The holiday season is here and many of us are enjoying a vacation and time with family and friends.  While watching television over the weekend I noticed that the numbers of weight loss, diet, cleanse, surgery commercials are up.  Way up!  In fact while watching football more than half the commercials were related to shedding those unwanted pounds.  There were plenty designed specifically to make the viewer feel guilty for all of the holiday indulgences and a solution to “drop the pounds” for the New Year.  The solution came in all forms:  weight loss shakes, pills, surgeries, foods, plans and of course the weird yogurt and cereal ones (like eat this twice a day and you will get skinny fast).

I am so irritated by this part of our American culture.  I don’t understand why our culture is so hell bent on discussing being “bad” over the holidays and then hitting the gym and a diet in the New Year.  What ever happened to enjoying the food and then getting back to normal life when that special day or event is over?

Normal eaters do overeat on occasion or indulge in foods they don’t eat on a daily basis, but the difference between them and the yo-yo diet food disordered American culture, is they simply return to their normal health regime when that meal, day, event is done.

Makes sense right?  Enjoy the cheesecake and then move on with your life.  Don’t eat the cheesecake while talking about how fat you are, how bad you are, how fattening the food is and then discuss your cleanse plans in detail.  I don’t want to hear it.  I don’t want to hear it at all!

I must admit on Christmas I made a fantastic spread for my guests and I overate.  It was kind of funny and painful!  But I actually overate by mistake.  I was talking and I kept tasting one thing here and one there.  Then I ate a few heavy things (not even thinking how filling certain things were).  And voila I was lying on the sofa on Christmas evening with a horrible stomach ache!  I actually laughed and told my brother I accidentally overate and it hurts!  But the thing is I had a great day and enjoyed myself and the food.   I didn’t feel inclined to starve the next day.  In fact I resolved to be more mindful next time I throw a party, so I don’t overdo it!  It was hard to get to sleep!

So it is possible to stay away from the diet/exercise rush that is going to hit us in the next week?  Can you keep yourself from being a part of that problem?  I challenge you to steer clear of the cultural diet/exercise New Year’s craze.  I challenge you to not tell everyone how you are going to change your body (for good)…  Instead try intuitive eating.  Try going to Whole Foods and checking their food out.  You just might help shift our culture to something far healthier and less concerned about thighs and cheesecake.

Finally Free,

Bridget Loves