Well, I’m the only child of a divorced marriage, and both my folks ended up being remarried and had my 2 sisters. In a perfect world, we could all get along and do one big Christmas celebration together, but since the big D (divorce) is a factor in these familial relationships, it makes for many separate Christmas celebrations. My dad’s second marriage ended after 5 years, so when I have Christmas with Dad, I also have it with the sister that my ex-stepmom had w/ Dad. Back in the day when we were little, we’d alternate Christmases with each set of parents, but it all started to get too complicated and stressful, so my dad was cool enough to start just having his own separate Christmas with me and my oldest younger sister. Now that we’re all adults, the celebration has changed a bit, and is way less lavish and simpler than it used to be. But overeating still happens, and after this final Christmasing was overwith on Sunday evening of this past weekend, I was left feeling bloated and unwell. Also, I’m sure this is a product of my childhood stressors, but I have a lot of mixed feelings about the holidays, and I’m always a little relieved when it’s over. Taking down my tiny tree is the most cathartic experience ever. My sister shares the same sentiment. She not only has the big D to contend with, her mom’s family is just very large and it would be a nigh impossible task to have just one Christmas, so like me she is always pretty much over it after New Year’s.
I’m happy to report that just 4 days later, I feel good again. I still like to indulge like everyone else (see my last entry), but when I do too much, I feel it hardcore. I was literally in pain and feeling like ass for 2 days after. I’ve stayed on program, however, since Sunday night (which is when I was like, “I’m so full, I never want to eat again!”), and I’m feeling MUCH better.
It’s amazing how after you get used to having a mostly clean diet that when you do indulge and go a little overboard with it, how painful it can be. The digestive punishment I received is a reminder that I’m so happy living a day-to-day healthy lifestyle. My Sunday “cheat” dinner is never nearly as decadent as any holiday fare! And any dessert I choose to have is usually tiny and insignificant compared to the rich fudge and Christmas cookies that I tend to nosh on during “that time of year.” I tend to go for things on the healthier side of “bad” anyway on Sundays, I’m just not as stringent with the “rules” I follow as I usually am. A better way to put it is that I tend to go for quality, not quantity when I’m having my once-a-week cheat meal.
My gym re-opens on Saturday (as I’ve said before, it’s a campus gym at a university, and they close seasonally for maintainence, etc.), and I’m so psyched to go work out! I’ve been exercising at home, but I’m craving a HARDCORE gym workout. I also plan on hitting the sauna as a reward afterwards…
Another thing I’ve been thinking about lately is that people tend to reward themselves for accomplishments with food. Every celebration revolves around some kind of food. What if we rewarded ourselves by doing something FUN instead? Or by doing something simple like taking a hot bath with our favorite bath salts, or having a cup of tea (non-sugared of course). Why does it always have to be stuffing our faces that we reward ourselves and each other with? Food for thought (pun SO intended).
Amy loses and wins 