"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." - Marilyn Monroe
So the holidays are here! Time for family, music, giving, and yes - lots of sweet treats. It's funny, but I think every time I've turned on the TV or opened a magazine lately there's something about overeating (and dieting) through the holidays, the calorie counts of egg nog and gingerbread men, or how much weight people gain on average during this season. Talk about a ho ho whole lot of stress - I haven't even made it to Christmas dinner and I'm almost wishing I could skip to New Year's so I could make the resolution to lose all of this holiday weight I hear that I am going to gain.
It's true that there is a lot deal with over the holidays. And maybe sugar cookies and holiday goodies don't make for a balanced meal. But being overly preoccupied with it isn't healthy either. There's a lot of conflicting messages - first there's all of the delicious recipes, but then there's how bad all of these treats are and why you shouldn't have them. Throw this on top of everything else at this time of year, and it can be a lot to take.
Okay, so that's the problem. What's the solution? Well FG, I think that the smartest thing you can do is keep it in perspective. There is no way, no matter how many candy canes you consume, that you are going to gain 10 pounds over the holidays. And you absolutely deserve to have a wonderful time without worrying about sticking to a diet or avoiding once-a-year treats. And with whatever you deal with this holiday - food, family, or otherwise - remember: no expectations, no reservations. Things may not go perfect, but if you allow yourself to ditch the rules and be as happy as you wish, they will be very merry.
