So, the holidays are over, and we can get back to reality. At least that’s what I’ve been saying to myself. But, after I thought about it, the holidays are reality. I can’t “take breaks” from a healthy lifestyle. That doesn’t mean necessarily that I didn’t treat myself over the holidays, but of course it was within moderation. Reality is year round, not just during non-holiday  time. That’s one of the many lessons I’ve learned over the past couple of months. Eating healthy 90% of the time, while treating myself during those special occasions, such as Christmas, is what reality really is. We are human, and to deny ourselves anything turns it into something that is forbidden, and when something is forbidden we seem to want it even more. So when my mom makes her homemade cinnamon rolls at Christmas time, I’m going to have one. But that’s okay, because I know that it’s something that I am treating myself with, because it’s a special occasion and not just an average Tuesday morning. But now, I am fully satisfied with that one cinnamon roll, or cookie, or whatever other tasty treat that’s available to me, and that’s a good thing. That means my body is adjusting to the changes I’m making. Before, I would have been stuffing myself almost sick with treats, trying to tell myself that they only appear once a year, so I need to get my fill. These days, I can now still have that special occasion treat, but because I’m not telling myself I shouldn’t, I am completely satisfied with one.

What exactly am I babbling about anyway? I guess what I’m trying to say is that no one should go on a diet. To me, diet implies a lot of negativity. Diet means you can’t have this or that, and that falls into the category of forbidden things. It also implies an ending. You go on a diet, eating only celery sticks and grapefruit, (or whatever the newest fad is) lose that 10 pounds, and you’re done. The problem is though is that a lot of people gain that 10 pounds back, and they feel like a failure. Trust me, I know, I’ve done it. Then the cycle continues, and it’s frustrating. Or maybe you’re on a diet, and you eat a cookie. Than you feel so guilty for eating that cookie and it ruins your whole day.  That’s why I like the term lifestyle change. This implies a way of life, and I don’t deny myself things, but now I have the advantage of knowing how to be smart about it. My son wants pizza for dinner, so I now know that it’s okay. I changed from eating six slices to maybe two, and I’m good with that. If I were on a diet, pizza would be a big no-no, and I’m sorry, but I am in no way giving up pizza! But now I can eat it, and I don’t feel guilty about it, I might just eat lighter the next day, or add an extra 15 minutes onto my exercise routine.

There’s a reason that the diet and exercise industry is making billions of dollars a year. It’s because no one has invented the magic want that erases pounds and increases positive results. If there was, I would have bought one already. And what I’m saying is not a magic wand either, because while I’m making a complete lifestyle change from my former habits, it hasn’t happened overnight. It’s like anything you have to work hard at; one step at a time. If it were quick and easy I would have done it a long time ago. The journey to a healthy lifestyle is similar to Michigan roads: twists and turns, different routes to the destination, some potholes on the way, and sometimes road construction that may throw you for a loop and make you take an unfamiliar detour. It doesn’t mean you won’t get where you’re going, it just means you need to change your way of thinking on the way there!

Happy New Year

Casey