When people heard that my husband and I were dieting and training hard through the holidays, they thought we were completely insane. We had so many people say, “How can you diet during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s”??? “I could never not-drink over the holidays”….. “How can you even enjoy yourself”?
Well, as it turns out, you actually CAN diet, train, not drink, and STILL enjoy all the wonderful holidays. Is it “easy”? No, it’s not easy and it requires dedication.
A funny thing happened though, as I was going through this process. I re-discovered the “meaning of Christmas”. I realized that it’s not just all about food, cookies, pies, alcohol and candy. It’s actually about celebrating Christ’s birth; it’s about spending quality time with your family; it’s about appreciating your good friends. It’s about enjoying the season.
I started taking pleasure in the pretty cards I got from friends and family. I enjoyed listening to all the wonderful Christmas songs. The “Holiday Spirit” was all around me. I had fun decorating the house, putting up the beautiful tree, and wrapping gifts for the cherished people in my life.
Not one of these things had anything to do with food or drink. My training did not interrupt any of my festivites. I realized that, while an enjoyable aspect of the holidays, sweet treats and drinks did not make or break the season. For those naysayers, it definitely can be done.
I think the best gift of all, is that on January 1st, the numbers on our scale will reflect true health and happiness. Starting out the New Year with the gift of health to yourself is the best way to spend the holidays, in my opinion 🙂