Christmas — Running Coach Shelly

SNAPSHOT

I am saving my holiday treat for the ACTUAL day!

DIGGING DEEPER

I am going old school with my consumption of holiday treats, by enjoying them on the ACTUAL day of celebration.

It is overwhelming to have so many delectable treats at our fingertips, calling out to us at each party, meeting, lunch room, gifted cookie plates, and in the grocery store. Each time you succumb to the temptation and taste each and every cookie, bar, or pie you take away from Christmas Day.

If you partake in the delicious treats each day or each meal all throughout the holiday season by the time you get to Dec 25th a gingerbread cookie will be less than delightful. It is in the expectation and waiting for the celebration that you gain the thrill of tasting your favorites.

Think of it this way. How excited would children be for Christmas Day presents if they got a present each day of December? Well, gifts on Christmas Day would lose their appeal. For sure every child would sleep in Christmas morning.

Do you think Laura Ingalls Wilder’s childhood dinner table in the month of December was filled with Christmas cookies? No way! They didn’t over indulge all month long and take away from the specialness of the holiday. We could hold back on the pre-holiday sweets and therefore assign more value on the significance of Christmas.

The light bulb turned bright this week when I was running with a friend and she commented that she wanted to be eating Whole 30 recommended foods but didn’t think it would be possible during the holidays. We discussed how it would be totally possible if she saved the holiday treats for December 25th. Freedom! Yes, you can eat healthy and therefore stay happy this December, by saving the holiday treats for the special day only.

So the next time you are offered a holiday treat respond with, “Thank you. You are so kind, but I am saving my tastebud extravaganza for Christmas Day, a wonderful moment worth waiting for.” Hint: Holiday treats usually freeze well.