Ahhh, Christmas (or, whichever holiday you celebrate). The season of eating. Couple that with the fact that in many places, it is also cold and dreary…well, it’s likely you may be over eating this time of year.
So, what will be on your plate for your holiday dinner (and lunch, breakfast, snacks, and so on)? For me, it’s an invite to a neighbor’s home, in my new neighborhood. The icing on the cake? He’s a chef. Score. What’s for dinner? Beef Wellington. Double score. But wait…that is full of gluten, and dairy, and red meat…Yeah, but it’s Beef Wellington.
This time of year is full of these “once a year” kind of dishes.
What’s the point of this post? Three simple things to incorporate into your holiday feast.
1. You are likely going to have several other “once a year”, or even “possibly once in a lifetime” food events in the next year. In today’s world, it isn’t necessary to eat your meal like it’s the last meal. Practice restraint. It takes work, but it is possible. It also can make your meal much more enjoyable when you can savor it, AND not feel physically miserable afterward.
2. Eat. Your. Veggies. Include AT LEAST five servings of vegetables & fruit into each day. Sorry, scalloped potatoes don’t count. I’m talking salad, broccoli, green beans, carrots, apples, berries, you get the picture. Colorful and raw, or slightly cooked with little added fat and sugar, is best. However, I’d rather you eat green bean casserole, than no vegetables at all.
3. Lastly, move your ass. You can move other parts of your body as well, but since your gluteus maximus IS your largest muscle…you get the most bang for your buck keeping those things in motion. You have many options here. Weather shitty? Walk around your house. No time? I don’t want to hear it. There is time. If your good health is important to you, you will make the time by incorporating movement into your day. If you have physical limitations that keep you from moving comfortably, then I would recommend you work with a specialist to help you navigate your limitations to achieve your best well-being.
So tonight, I will enjoy a modest portion Beef Wellington, along with a modest portion of the colorful side salad that I’m bringing. I will not indulge (much) in the artfully crafted parmesan breadsticks from the local bakery…because I can have those any day of the week. I WILL have a bit of the cardamom cinnamon roll bread pudding (say what??) for dessert. But before dinner, I will have a large salad for lunch. This morning, the hubs and I will be driving out to explore some new hiking trails, out by a waterfall and old volcano flows.
And just like many of us, I will launch the New Year with some sort of “reset”/“cleanse”/”undo what I did the past month” program. More on that later, so please stay tuned.
Merry Christmas, y’all! Have a wonderful day, filled with love, laughter, and adventure.
xxoo
-M