The Holiday Diet

As the Holiday Season approaches we start thinking about family, shopping and eating. No matter what our beliefs and cultures say, we can all agree that there’s nothing like the food we’ll be eating over the next few weeks. Turkeys, hams, gravy, stuffing, potatoes and macaroni are all there along with pies, brownies and cakes. This is a special time of year and should be treated as such.

Most of the year we worry about our weight, cholesterol, blood pressure and diets. We watch what we eat in the hope that our health will improve and we’ll look better. Then there comes special occasions: spring break, weddings and right now, the holidays.

A lot of people are worried. They wonder if they should really be on their diets over Thanksgiving. That would probably cut out the gravy, stuffing and creamy mashed potatoes. It wouldn’t allow for pies or cakes either (unless you have just a bite).

Special occasions shouldn’t be treated like every other day of the year. If we work hard to look good and be healthy, one day isn’t going to put us back that far. Even gaining a few pounds might be worth all that food. One thing to watch out for is leftovers.

While one day can’t set you back a significant amount, if you have a lot of leftovers you can be snacking on them for a while. Once you are off your normal diet for too long, it might take some time to get back into the habit. Try giving the food that’s left to your guests. If you have college kids this won’t be a concern for you.

The Bottom Line

The thing to remember about the holidays is that while food is a big and important part, it isn’t the whole thing. Thanksgiving is there to remind you of what to be thankful for. Food should definitely be on your list but not higher than your family and health. As long as you know what the holidays really mean, your diet will work itself out.