I was with friends this week and someone offered some mince pies. I declined politely.
Cue: Go on Chris it’s Christmas.
Deep sigh.
I politely explained that I’m aware it’s Christmas. And that I was going out that evening for a Christmas meal with friends. That there was to be 3 courses and booze.
So I didn’t really don’t feel the need for a mince pie. (Shop bought especially – which are always disappointing.)
There’s a trade-off isn’t there.
- You can enjoy Christmas without eating like a dickhead.
- You can enjoy Christmas and finish off in the same shape as you started.
- You can enjoy Christmas without feeling crap,
It starts with 3 simple realisations
- Many of our ideas about what we like and what we want to eat or “what Christmas is all about” are actually messages driven into us by marketing.
Let me go back to mince pies. They start appearing on our shelves after Halloween and I think mmmmm mince pies. But I’m always always underwhelmed when I eventually have one. It’s never as nice as I expect it to be. So these days (because I’ve learnt) I don’t really bother with shop bought mince pies. We’ll make our own eventually. And occasionally I’ll buy one from a bakery or from a Christmas market…
- Overeating anything or everything really doesn’t feel good. It doesn’t matter how much you like cheese, overeating it makes you feel stick. So why do it to yourself? Like seriously, when have we ever thought: wow I feel stuffed and amazing? or, yeah I’m so glad I had that second pudding?
- When you CHOOSE your indulgences (as opposed to mindlessly consuming them), you get a lot more enjoyment out of them.
Like my meal out.
I had anticipated this for a while. I had looked at the menu – I knew I was in for a treat. It was a gorgeous pub. I had decided I would go for pudding (apple and plum crumble – it was divine) I had actually made an effort with my outfit. And I got my husband to drive me so that I could enjoy myself.
I had looked forward to it. All that day, and indeed a few days before.
And I think this is important. Because I knew it was forthcoming, I didn’t feel deprived by keeping the rest of my food on point that day. Or indeed in the run up.
Because this is the problem with Christmas really isn’t it? It’s the coupling of
- The feeling of FOMO. (I need to eat mincepies every day because they’ll be gone soon)
- The overabundance of activities and occasions that lead us to feel FOMO.
This time of year the internet is awash with articles on how to “Survive Christmas.” Or how to enjoy Christmas without undoing the work you’ve put into the previous 11 months. But the reality is you already know what to do. You’re an adult with agency. You can make choices.
- If you choose to eat your body weight in mince pies – that’s your choice. And nobody’s business but your own.
- If you choose to refuse a mince pie, that also your choice and nobody’s business.
My only advice would be to make sure you ARE making active choices. And not mindlessly doing it all because you haven’t stopped to think about it…
The following steps might help:
- Plan out your special events. Which ones are really important? Which ones are you looking forward to? Why are you looking forward to them? Take time to think about this… Get excited about it. Because anticipating your special events will actually make you enjoy them more. (This is actually backed by research).
- Limit them! After all if you’re out every night then it’s hardly as special event, right? Which ones are you just turning up to because you feel you ought to? Which ones involve people you don’t really know or even like? Make an excuse and sack it off.
- Enjoy your special events. Fully! And don’t ruin the enjoyment with pointless guilt!!
