Ah autumn… brisk morning air, colorful leaves, and shorter, cozier days. If the changing weather isn’t an indication of the changing seasons, the abundance of Halloween candy most certainly is!
Halloween and the upcoming holiday season often create more stress than joy – particularly for the weight-conscious. Every media outlet features a plethora of stories that offer “tips and tricks” to help “survive” the season and avoid that dreaded holiday weight-gain.
But what exactly is a “trick?” While it is true that a “trick” can indeed refer to a skill, a simple Internet search will reveal that nearly every other definition of the word trick somehow involves deception and deceit. And this is the perspective from which most of those “helpful” media stories come. And this is why suggestions like using small plates for the buffet line, eating a salad before the party, or sending away all the leftovers with our guests are futile in the “battle” of the holiday bulge.
All of these helpful suggestions are designed to fool us. They are designed to deny and bury our authentic impulses with artificial behavior. These tricks fundamentally assume that our bodies do not know what is best. They assume that we have no “control” over our impulses. Not only are these strategies ineffective, they compound the stress and pain of the holiday season because they put us at odds with our true self!
What we really need are skills and tools, not tips and tricks. And the purpose for which we need these skills and tools is to create and maintain a state of alignment, not a state of denial.
In a state of alignment, impulses can be trusted and honored. They come from the wisdom of our body and from a harmony of our thoughts, feelings and beliefs. These impulses are the deepest expression of who we truly are.
From a perspective of alignment, we know that if we are inspired to eat a holiday goodie that tasty treat can only contribute to our well-being. If that goodie would in any way be detrimental to our health (or our waistline) we would not be inspired to eat it in the first place.
From a perspective of alignment, we know that it is neither the abundance of holiday food nor its caloric value that causes the dreaded holiday weight-gain. We know that it is all the conflicting energy between our thoughts, feelings, beliefs and actions that causes the trouble. We understand that denying our authentic impulses with “tricks” only creates more conflict and that this is why we can gain weight during the holidays even if we work out every day and don’t partake in any of the treats!
So this holiday season, let’s skip the tricks and skip the weight-gain. Let’s develop and maintain a state of alignment. By doing this, we can enjoy the treats AND keep our waistlines in tact.