First off, I didn’t realize how long it had been since my last post until I opened up the site to add this one. Holy cow! I really need to get better about writing. Obviously since you’re reading this, I have a few readers, but even if no one read my posts, I’d still write them. I find writing cathartic. It helps me put down my thoughts about the day or life in general sometimes, so I am going to make it a priority to write more often.
So why have I been MIA for the last two weeks? Because I’ve been making bad choices, and I didn’t feel like admitting it. 🙂 As I’ve said in previous posts, I have found a new sense of freedom in that I don’t feel guilty about my choices anymore because they are the choices I’ve made, and the only thing I can do with them is live with the consequences and hopefully learn from them. Lately though, I have been making choices without much thought to the consequences beforehand and not learning from them after.
Last week was my birthday, so I let myself indulge. I had three separate birthday dinners, and let’s be honest here… I’m not choosing baked chicken breast and steamed broccoli for my birthday celebration. For dinner #1, my parents took me to a delicious Italian restaurant where I had an individual Sicilian thin crust pizza. We also ordered some bruschetta to start and some tiramisu for dessert, and really, you can’t have a birthday dinner without a cocktail…
For dinner #2, the bf came down after work and took me out to a wine bar where I had a glass of wine, some pulled pork nachos for a starter, and an individual cheese thin crust pizza. We then went out to one of my favorite things to do around Christmas-The Nutcracker in the Castle. It’s at a local art museum in a really old mansion. They have it all decorated for Christmas, and each room has different themes that coordinate with the Nutcracker story. It’s absolutely beautiful. Last year they added the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cupcake Shop with cupcakes from an amazing local bakery, so of course we had to stop there for some cupcakes and hot cocoa. 😉
Pic’s a little blurry due to low light, but just one of the many rooms beautifully decorated for Christmas.
Dinner #3 was my family get together with my parents, siblings, and the bf. We went out for burgers at Red Robin, and my dad bought a round of drinks for everyone while we waited for our table. I had a barbecue bacon cheeseburger and fries, and I split a gingerbread shake with my sister. Then we went bowling, and I brought some jumbo cupcakes from the grocery store along and had a beer while we bowled. It was a really fun night! I don’t regret my choices, but looking back on it, I could have easily made a couple tweaks and still splurged but in a slightly more healthy way.
It’s also that time of year that anyone who works in an office and is trying to maintain a somewhat healthy life most likely loathes… Holiday vendor treat time (or I suppose just holiday treat time in general)… When the treats started to trickle in, I did a great job picking only the things I really wanted the most and enjoying them sparingly, but then they started pouring in, and there is such a plethora of goodies to choose from that I find myself saying that they’re all worth it, and of course I have to try a little bit of everything!
The reason for my holiday gain…
At the end of every night for the last week, I’ve gone home feeling bloated and crummy resolving that tomorrow I’m not going to have any more treats. They’re not as good as they were at first, and they make me feel awful (physically not psychologically). Then every morning I pack my healthy lunch and vow to stay away from the snacks for the day only to cave the second I see someone walk past my desk with some new delight. This happens quite a bit because I sit at the very end of my aisle, and the food sits behind me.
Once I start, honestly there’s no stopping me. My sugar dragon is back with a vengeance, and all the chocolaty, sugar-laden treats are no match for it. Then, because I’ve been eating crap all day long, my healthy lunch seems really unappealing, and I go out and spend money I really don’t have on more crap that is really not benefiting my body in any way.
Since there is still so much holiday celebrating to do, I’ve decided I’m not going to fight the treats for now. I’m going to cut back on the amount that I consume, but I find that telling myself no just leads me to think about it even more. On the first of the year, I plan to start on day 1 of a Whole60. This isn’t a new year’s resolution because I hate those, but I think January 1 is a nice day to just start fresh. Plus, I know there are a few other people doing a January Whole30, so I’ll have a little bit more support. 🙂
How have you been holding up through the holidays? What are some ways you prevent yourself from overindulging?
Simply Whole Life 