Slippery Slope of Holidays

I need to be extra aware of how I eat this time of year. It's a slippery slope of food and parties from my October birthday through the winter holidays.

It Starts With Birthday Cake

Oh, it's your birthday. Have a slice., Indulge. It's a special occassion.

And it's hard to imagine saying no to chocolate decadance, multi-layer with fudge icing.
Even though the sugar rush will make my eyelids sweat.

And It's All Downhill From There

If I'm not careful, it's all downhill from there. The Halloween candy comes out right about that time. And even though I usually eat very healthy, organic, mostly vegetarian diet, I have my guilty pleasures. If they were occasional, that would be fine. But I have this little problem with sugar. It really is a legal drug. Not as bad as narcotics, of course, but it affects the same places in the brain.

Then comes Thanksgiving. With so many opportunities to overdo it.

Then Christmas, with its special candy and treats everywhere for weeks. If I'm not careful, I can easily add 10 pounds in those three months. Can't say it's without noticing, because my clothes don't fit if I do that.

Then there's a brief respite until the Valentine's Day candy comes out. Then Easter. Well, you get the picture.

A Lot Easier

It's easier to avoid these sugary treats now that I am not working in an office every day. When I worked, there were treats everywhere. People brought them in frequently. And if I got started on them I could go for weeks eating way too many every day. I never kept them in my house, so now it's easier to avoid them.

Redefining Treats

Since I feel physically awful after I eat that way, I cannot call them treats any more. And I was pre-diabetic last year and had to get a handle on it. So even though these sugary delights were treats as a kid - rewards really, for eating the stuff I didn't want to eat - I have learned to see them as pretty decorations that really are not a treat at all. The real treat is eating healthy, nutritious food that supports my health and well-being.

And as I avoid sugar, I don't even really like it much when I eat it. I have found that raw cacao mixed with honey tastes infinitely better than any dark chocolate bar.

When I get off-track, I join my friend's e-cleanse program, where she sends a daily email about healthy eating. It's fun and easy.

I'm not saying I always eat healthy, but when I do indulge, it's at a more sensible level and amount. And I feel better physically and emotionally for it.

How About You?

What do you do to help yourself get through the holidays?