Mike here! In today’s Tuesday / Tip, I’d like to talk about navigating your nutrition through the holidays. I’m not going to list the holiday treats you need to avoid, nor will I give you any practical tips for eating less or practicing restraint . And if you stay with me to the end, I promise not to include my kale, lemon zest and stevia cookie recipe…
If you’ve spent any time with me in the gym, you have heard me say that food is more than just fuel. And hopefully, through your reading of our newsletters (like the one posted in today’s Holland Sentinel), or sharing in our conversations or as part of our nutrition program, you have come to know that we are not all about eating “good food” and avoiding “bad foods.” To some, food is feelings, reward, shame, celebration, fellowship, memories, tradition and much more.
And, as our partners at Precision Nutrition say, food is even more than this. Food is information. It is a story that shapes your daily life, your health and your functionality. And there is no such thing as “good” or “bad” information. There is no “good food” or “bad food.” There is only the choice. And the choice is the thing.
When you choose one food over another, you are expressing what is important to you. Do you need to celebrate the memory of a loved one? Uphold a family tradition? Enjoy a cocktail when your company goes to bed? No judgment here. You get to decide your priorities. But savor these choices (you’ll find you will not only enjoy your food more, but also likely be truly satisfied with a little less). Be mindful of why you were making them. And, as our nutrition program members know fully well: eat slowly when you do.
So this holiday season, choose family and friends, choose to share love and laughter, choose to sing songs, worship and wear ridiculous sweaters. Choose to enjoy food you won’t regularly eat. And choose joy!
You didn’t really think that was a legit cookie recipe, did you??