The Greatest Question I Ask Myself to Survive the Season of Calories

There’s more to Christmas then eating every calorie in sight. Start with the fur-kids.

Pearl One

Happy December, Thrivers!

I think this one will be a heavy-lifter. ♥

I was so happy when this thought occurred to me. It really is our brains that will take us to our preferred weight, not the latest, craziest diet.

In the past, I’ve said that attempting to lose weight in November and December is just being mean to yourself. I encouraged you to maintain (I call it “holding”) through the season.

And I’ve added that it’s important to remember that the holidays are only over two or three days, and it shouldn’t be two months of overdoing it.

But!! I came up with something better.

I’m asking myself the strongest question I know of for December’s onslaught of calories.

You know the game “would you rather?”

Here’s what I’ve been asking myself:

“Would I rather eat all the things throughout December, but be completely annoyed with myself come the first of January?

Or would I rather, stick with my smart eating plan now and forgo most of the treats – not all, but most — and be thrilled to wake up on January one feeling awesome!”

Both questions are tough: do you want to “have fun” with the food in December and be sad when you wake in the new year? Or do want to be challenged to stay the couse in December and be thrilled when you wake up in the new year?

Of course, I run with the latter. I’d much rather keep my eating sane in December so that in January I’ll wake up feeling very pleased.

The idea behind this question is that when we see a plate of beautiful homemade fudge we’ll be snapped back to reality that January is — in fact — just around the corner.

Join me: ask yourself this very question at least two times every single day. Go! ♥

Pearl Two

Our Visualization Tool. At a quiet moment this week, crash on your couch, close your eyes, and identify what the difficult moments will be food-wise in the coming week.

When you’re ready, write by pen or laptop how you’ll respond to each food-challenge.

I’ve written often about the importance of planning for get-togethers or parties so that we’re not arriving  famished to the shindig.

But what about dealing with the day-to-day of Christmas-calories?

In my life, the Scarfer starts buying Christmas cookies in October and after Thanksgiving is barely out the door begins to lay out his display every evening on the kitchen counter. (I mean, “thanks Costco!”)

Journal -write what daily challenges will trigger overeating and write how you’ll respond to each difficulty. Ask yourself this question every day and don’t mix up “fun” with fuel-food. ♥

Pearl Three

Digging deeper into Atomic Habits

James Clear tell us in Atomic Habits, “The greatest threat to success is not failure but boredom. We get bored with habits because they stop delighting us. The outcome becomes expected. And as our habits become ordinary, we start derailing our progress to seek novelty.”

I’m so glad that Clear talks a lot about boredom because it’s a powerful force to contend with in our smart eating lives.

Have a long journal “chat” with yourself. Write about boredom and how it affects your life. Ask yourself: how do I handle the daily, normal boredom of the daily that we all deal with.

Over many years I slowly shifted from a food-focus to address almost every emotion including boredom. IF I’m bored food really does look like a little party for the mouth.

Journal-write about boredom and address how you manage it, rather than it managing you. ♥

Pearl Four

Book Dessert!!

I read this week’s dessert selection titled Molokai by Alan Brennert when it first debuted in 2003. The story begins one hundred years ago, when the authorities take a little girl, Rachel, from her family home on Honolulu, and leave her on the island of Molokai (due to an 1866 Hawaiian king decree that those with leprosy would live out their lives on the island without spreading the disease to the main population). We watch Rachel grow up and fall in love. We also see the evolution of the disease, how as time went by thoughts about the diseased changed.

Only problem with this book? Oh, did it make me want to visit Molokai.

Molokai falls under the historical fiction genre, but is packed in historical facts about actual people who lived on Molokai and cared for the people with Hanson’s disease. It’s been twenty years since I read Molokai, and several scenes from the book still run through my mind.

Pairing Molokai with Honolulu (same author) would make an awesome gift. Highly recommended. Five sparkling stars.

If nothing else, check out the two books’ covers. Lush and gorgeous. ♥

Pearl Five

“Don’t settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had.” ♥

Angela Bassett

Happy December 1!! This month can be so beautiful, but tough. It’s okay, we’re up for the challenge!

♥, Wendy

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I am not an expert, a doctor, a surgeon, a nurse or a nutritionist: the information within TheInspiredEater.com is based solely on my personal experience and is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. ♥