Shecky’s

Our most glutinous holiday is just a few short days away, and there’s certain to be an abundance of food that can make us grateful not only for a bountiful meal but the invention of elastic pants.

As we all know too well, after the kick-off of Thanksgiving, the month of holiday merriment can be tough to navigate comfortably in skinny jeans. Everywhere you turn, holiday chocolates overflow office candy dishes and weekly parties bedeck the halls with cheese platters, cookies, fried appetizers and, of course, spirits. So if you feel like Dorothy on a gravy-brick road trying to fend off lurking potatoes, turkey and pie (oh my!) and the Emerald City has a wizard handing out New Year’s resolution gym memberships, you might need a few holiday survival tips to go with those red slippers.

The Holiday Allowance

When the holidays feel like a tidal wave of food and temptation, holding ground on avoiding all things bad for you is not only an incredible test of will, but is also not a lot of fun. When friends and family are sharing in the delights of traditions like home-cooked foods and customary special treats, it can feel like not participating in more than just a party, but a meaningful tradition by refusing to eat or drink things just because they’re on your naughty list.

The key is to indulge without overindulging. Focus on the food equivalent of “fun” without letting it get out of control with a fourth helping. Think of it this way. Remember that chick from the office Christmas party who decided dancing on the conference room table was a good idea? Yes, we’ve all overindulged (and hopefully fewer of us have Facebook fallout from conference table dancing), but the trick is to realize you can say “yes” to a slice of pie, but “no” to seconds. No one wants to feel left out of a party, and food and drink are part of holiday tradition, so allow yourself reasonable portions and have fun.

Trying to restrict yourself with diet taboos might not only extinguish your holiday spirit, but can be more likely to lead to a complete fall off the wagon…and into a carton of eggnog. Check out eatingwell.com for some great holiday recipes that take the guilt out of fun holiday indulgence!

-Star Varga from VegaStar Productions

Star Varga is the Director of Business & Community Development at GetUrMojo and the Producer at VegaStar Productions. GetUrMojo is a growing community-driven organization that’s founded in the primary belief that mojo is a necessary part of life. Job ruts, career changes, relocation or just the same old routine wear away at mojo.

GetUrMojo is a community dedicated to Rediscovering Passion, Growing from Giving, Getting Inspired and Shaking the Routine through quarterly events, activities and workshops that bring great minds together at fun events for healthy and invigorating refills of mojo.