I make it no secret that I have a killer sweet tooth. I know that sugar is “bad,” (I hate that word) but really…it just tastes so darn good!! Sometimes I feel it literally impossible to turn down a scrumptious treat, especially since this holiday season they seem to be in my face EVERYWHERE! For the past 6 days I’ve been surrounded by goodies and my white flag is up. I surrender myself to you precious little piece of fudge!
Normally, I’m the one preaching to people about balance and moderation, but sometimes it is hard to ALWAYS practice what you preach (I was a little chubby in high school for a reason). I can turn down a calorie loaded casserole but put me up against a brownie with fudge icing and I melt like a popsicle. It is just so hard to say NO!
Obviously, I don’t indulge breakfast, lunch, and dinner (although it WOULD be nice). So how do I keep healthy when all I seem to want to do is sample every Christmas cookie from here to the North Pole? This is my advice and the best I can offer because I DO struggle just like you.
1. Eat like a snob.
Don’t go for the store bought cookies or the desserts that you can get any time of the year. Don’t eat treats that you know aren’t the BEST you’ve ever had. No. Save that indulgence for the one you can only get at THIS time of year!! For instance, this past weekend we went to a family holiday party that was filled to the brim with goodies on the dessert table. It was really hard to choose and my eyes started to glaze over. Once I finally came to my senses, I carefully selected a small wedge of a blackberry cheesecake bar. This was incredible. Hand picked blackberries from this past summer had been turned in to a jam that smeared across a thin layer of cheesecake, with a sweet crumbly bottom. Absolutely sinful. I cut myself a tiny square and found that a little truly went a long way and I was utterly satisfied. I needed nothing more (until I spotted the peanut butter fudge 2 hours later and snagged a piece of that too…nobody’s perfect).
This is not the dessert from the party, I forgot to snap a picture!
2. Keep up with your work outs.
I cannot stress this enough! If you keep working out through the season, even though you may not lose weight, you’ll keep the pounds from creeping on. I realize that it is a busy time of year, but plan ahead!! I recently started breaking up my work out. I wake at 5:30 am to do 30 minutes in the morning and then I come home and do 30 minutes at night. This way, if I get busy in the evening, I know at least I’ve already done 30 minutes in the morning. Work outs will keep you burning off those extra calories you are consuming!
- Dress like that too!
source
3. Be as normal as you can.
Granted, there are LOTS of office parties, family gatherings, and special functions that are just SCREAMING for you to EAT, EAT, and EAT! All I ask is that you try to keep it as normal as you can! If you have 3 office parties in one week (like me), try to maintain a balance by choosing foods (if you can) that are fruits, veggies, and whole grains, as much as possible. If you know there will be nothing healthy, try to either eat before you go or pack snacks you can eat in between. This way you won’t be completely ravenous when faced with the holiday buffet table.
Just do what you can, that is what I do. I don’t beat myself up (too badly) if I help myself to more than one dessert, but I DO keep in mind that I feel so much better when I eat healthy, WHOLE foods. Just be smart and try to follow the above 3 rules and you should breeze through the season with out gaining a pound! I believe in YOU (and me!!)!!!
QUESTION: What is your “can’t say no” holiday food?
PS: It is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day!! What are you dipping??
pie is my never say no to dessert…especially apple or boysenberry…drives me through the wall if i don’t get it!
I can’t say no to several holiday foods: eggnog (killer, I know, but a little bit “better” for you in ice cream form!), nut butter ball cookies/Mexican wedding cakes, and homemade toffee. Mmm.
These are great tips! For me, I think the key to maintaining sanity is keeping my schedule (food, exercise, sleep etc) as normal as possible, but also enjoying all the the season has to offer.
I totally agree with the snob part! Why use up your indulgence allowance on substandard stuff!? I also have an incredible sweet tooth! Its my biggest hurdle to overcome.
darn it! I missed National Chocolate Covered Anything day?! Well, I’m going to change that do to TODAY! I’ll dip some marshmallows
Yum.
I’ve been working really hard to keep up with my workouts this fall, but since the snow and cold weather have come so early I feel more lazy. I doing it though, and it still feels great!
I agree, if I am going to eat something sweet, I am going to be a snob about it and make it GOOD! I do that with my beer too. I don’t drink cheap beer, only the good stuff
Thanks for sharing reasonable tips for the Holiday season! I love going to Christmas parties and having a favorite treat of two, it makes it special and their is no reason to stress out! Sugar is soo yummy
My ‘can’t say no’ thing would have to be anything with marshmallows!
I totally indulge around the holidays. However, luckily, I do not work in an office or with people that give me fatty, sugary treats. I do ALL the baking for the holidays, so I can’t deny that I like to “taste” all my goodies. I am a total snob about it all…nothing store bought, and I started baking so I could control all the ingredients!! Not everything is “healthy” but at least I use all “good” ingredients (organic, natural sugars, etc.) I know sugar is sugar, but I like using agave and raw sugar as opposed to domino! I can’t say no to my cookies
I can’t say no to sweet things… and if they’re gooey, forget it. I’m a goner.
I love your “eat like a snob” suggestion. I’ll keep this one in mind as the final two weeks of the feeding frenzy continue.
I like the “be a snob” tip
The one I’m having the hardest time with though is keeping up with workouts! Between it being dark when I get home from work (and I hate running in the dark), the cold weather (yes, even in Florida) and being so busy that when we get a free minute, I just want to crash, I really haven’t worked out like I’ve wanted to 
shame on me!
Holiday food I can’t resist? It’s my mom’s Chex Mix — she makes a huge batch every december (for as long as I can remember). It’s really bad, made with bacon grease and butter!!! Definitely NOT vegan. But I ate some anyway and you know what it tasted like? It tasted like my childhood! I’ll probably eat some next year too. I can’t help it.
I cannot pass up eggnog! Nor can I pass up peanut butter stuffed Ritz covered in chocolate! I love those things!
YUMMY!
#1 is a good one – I mean, store bought sugar cookies? Green and red M&Ms? Really? Now, Vosges gingerbread toffee dark chocolate bar…now we’re talking.
#2 is one I always follow – and I think it helps even more to work out in the morning, because then post-work obligations don’t get in the way.
I love how you break your workout into 2. What a great idea! Usually cookie with chocolate and peanut butter tempt me so much. But the brownies I made recently did too!
These are really great tips. I tend to “be a snob” the most and avoid the store bought ones. I’ve also learned to not feel the need to try everything, but be satisfied with trying the ones that actually look the most appealing.
Hmmm… my can’t say no holiday food would have to be my mom’s cherry cheesecake bars, i could eat those until i was sick!
I like these tips! I think keeping workouts up is pretty crucial, especially since it’s cold outside and inactivity makes me go stir-crazy! I’m not too sure what my can’t-say-no is… I know this isn’t exactly indulgent, but Werthers Originals make my heart sing!
Eat like a snob — that is a fantastic way of putting it. Indulge but you best make it worth your while.
Homemade cookies….can’t resist them.
Quality over quantity! I loved the first “trick” you listed. It is so important to budget our treats. I know that I try to find the most delicious, once-a-year dessert when I go to a party or another function. If they are just serving store-bought cookies…no way! Thank you for sharing with me. I hope you have a wonderful day!
GREAT advice, lady! I love this and totally follow a similar set of rules for the holidays, for the most part. I’m with you especially on the holiday treats – pick something you NEVER get to eat during the year and enjoy every last little bite of that treat. Yum.
I couldn’t agree more! Especially #1… I’ve been trying to explain this one to folks forever without sounding like a jerk… I love the way you worded it “food snob” b/c that’s exactly what I believe — if it’s not worth the calories, don’t eat it! something mindblowingly yummy will come along and then, the calories are worth it <3
xoXOxo
Jenn @ P&C
Great tips! It’s a wonderful time of year, but stressful because there are so many events etc….
My “can’t say no” food? Mexican 5 layer dip and nacho chips. SOOOOO good!
i like the tip about being a snob… sometimes the one thing that helps me around cookies and treats is “knowing” they couldn’t possible be as good as my homemade version and wouldn’t be worth it… homemade baked goods, though, that is another story. i just try to keep a high standard on what is and isn’t worth it.
Oh it’s so frickin’ hard this time of the year. I personally love store bought sugar cookies so I can’t say no to them. In fact, I tend to eat more of the store bought stuff becauase I never spend my money on it!
I totally agree about going after the stuff that’s only around during the holidays. My love of chocolate chip cookies take a back seat all month.
Thanks for the tips!! I have a very hard time turning down fruit pies! Like you said, i can totally resist most bad food, fried and battered food, no thank you. But if there is apple pie or Blackberry cobbler I’m toast!
LOVE these tips. I completely agree with what you said – the holidays are for splurging, yes, but it doesn’t mean losing control. For me, I can’t say no to pecan pie
Oh and in honor of today’s holiday, I’m eating some chocolate covered popocorn!
I need to do a better job with the workouts and I’ll be good
My can’t-say-no-to food is Mexican! Chips and salsa. YUM! I have no sweet tooth, but salt tooth? YES PLEASE!