Holiday Indulging Without Overdoing

Last week I noticed myself falling into the traditional annual year-end trap of mindlessly overindulging in the holiday spirit.  Or, rather, spirits. (In my case, wine and Prosecco.)  And food. (In my case, ice cream.  Or anything with chocolate.).  And stress.  (In my case, end-of-year “another year over/what am I doing with my life?” angst.)  Then I read a HuffPost article by friend and associate Dr. Robert Tornambe, New York City board certified plastic surgeon, called  “Recipe for Holiday Beauty” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-tornambe-md/a-recipe-for-holiday-beau_b_1120822.html?ref=style) containing tips for a joy-filled, drama-free holiday season. It helped remind me that Yes, Virginia, it is possible to get through the holidays – even enjoy them - without completely derailing one’s mental and physical health and wellness.

So many of us allow this most wonderful time of year to become our annual excuse to overindulge in the abundance of the season.  We give ourselves permission to not to just enjoy, but to overdo.  We gorge on so many delicious, once-a-year holiday treats; we drink the free-flowing spirits at party after gathering after party. 

Why?  Perhaps the tradition stems from some biological/cultural impulse to fully benefit from the fall harvest as we fatten up in preparation for the long, cold, dark days of winter.  Or perhaps we just have a socially-acceptable reason to eat and drink to excess, and we take full advantage. 

Add the seasonal temptations (the bûche de Nöel, seven fishes, gingerbread, egg nog, mulled wine, latkes and other delicacies we enjoy only once a year) and back-to-back opportunities (the plethora of parties and get-togethers) to the usual reasons (mitigating stress; as a reward or “treat”; a way to relieve pain; escaping boredom; etc.), and we provide ourselves with acceptable and indisputable justifications for overindulging in the readily-available supply of sumptuous dishes and cocktails, wine, champagne …

How can we stay on a healthy track?  Simple: Pay attention, be mindful, stay conscious. Rather than start off the New Year 15 lbs. heavier and needing to make resolutions just to undue the damage of the two previous months, here are a few simple ways to avoid mindless, habitual patterns while enjoying holiday pleasures to the fullest, without compromising your health and heft!

Embrace Unconventional Wisdom

Many of us have been told that if we “bank” calories – cut back on our consumption throughout the day or week – we can use those “saved” calories on goodies at parties and holiday meals.  It’s just math, right?  Spending what we've saved?  Wrong.  In a word:  Don’t.  This strategy never works.  Why?

This famine-following-by-feasting puts undue stresses on the body and mind.  It roller coasters blood sugar and insulin levels, and messes with metabolism.  By the time we arrive at our event, we’re not only physically famished from the caloric deficit, we’re psychologically primed to go hog wild after ‘being good’ all day.  And so we tend to allow ourselves to consume anything within reach, even drinks, hors d’oeuvres, dishes and desserts we would easily pass on otherwise. 

Also, many of us adopt the Scarlet O’Hara practice of “I’ll worry about that tomorrow”:  we overindulge today while convincing ourselves that we’ll resume control beginning New Year’s Day when we start our resolutions.  And we all know how well that works ..

Honor The Body

Instead, I advocate maintaining normal, healthy and balanced eating habits every day throughout the season, including holidays and party nights.   This may sound crazy, but I would also recommend eating a light, healthy salad – leafy greens plus a little lean protein – or a cup of hot vegetable soup, before arriving at parties and/or holiday meals.  This is a vitamin- and fiber-filled way to take the edge off your hunger, so that you can more easily say ‘no thank you’ to the pigs-in-a-blanket and fried cheese balls, and choose the really special, delicious dishes and enjoy them more fully.  You’ll also have something solid in your stomach before drinking your first cocktail, and something nutritious in your body no matter what your consume thereafter.

One adjustment we may want to consider: Since many of us have incorporated a certain amount of “cheats” - chips, chocolate, cookies, fat/syrup-laden coffee drinks, cocktails, pick-your-poison here, into our daily diet, this could be the perfect time to look at how, when and why we allow ourselves these food, drink or other (euphemistically speaking) “rewards” and/or “treats” that pack on pounds, compromise our health, burn through cash and stir up bad feelings. If we consciously try to eliminate these during the holidays, we can enjoy seasonal specialties with less concern.  (Even better:  continue to cut back, or cut out, consumption of previously acceptable junk foods throughout the year.)

Also, we tend to use our busy holiday calendar as a prime excuse to skip the gym.  Shopping, parties, special holiday events - it’s so easy to find convincing reasons to pre-empt exercising!  But if there’s a will, there’s always a way to find an hour or so several times a week to honor your body, your health, yourself.  Give yourself a precious gift by making time.

Use Your Mind

Another method to prepare yourself to make wiser choices during the holiday madness:  preparatory pre-event mini-visualizations.  These help you remain proactive rather than reactive, in greater control in the moment. Sit comfortably, back straight and eyes closed.  Take a few deep breaths, relax, and imagine yourself arriving at your holiday event.  See yourself greeting old friends, meeting new people, laughing, having a grand old time.  In your mind’s eye, watch as you consciously select what you put on your plate and put in your mouth:  you are in control, and you choose small portions of items that nourish your body, delight your palate and feed your soul.  You chose colorful crudités and tangy yogurt dipping sauce over the spring rolls; grilled shrimp instead of mini-quiche.  Notice that after a drink or two, feeling fine, you switch to water.  A family member makes an off-color remark – you respond with intelligence, or smile and choose not to respond at all. You decide to have a small piece of cake, a Christmas cookie. Satisfying and delicious.  And sufficient.  Just enough. 

While visualizing, be sure not only to see, but hear, smell, taste, touch – as well as emotionally live the experience - as if it were actually taking place.  Going through the thoughts, actions, sensations and feelings mentally will set the precedent enabling you to manifest them physically later on.  (Feel free to use mini-visualizations like this one to mentally prepare yourself for many different and daunting events – a presentation, a date, even just going to bed without a late-night snack …)

Yes Virginia, you can have it all! When you consciously take charge, consciously decide, it’s indeed possible to eat, drink and be merry, to delight in the magic of the holidays and ring in 2012 happier and healthier than ever - today, tomorrow, all year long.

© 2011 Theresa Quadrozzi, A-Muse-In-Manhattan