'Tis the season of TEMPTATION!

Merry Christmas!
A season of love, giving, happiness, celebration, thankfulness, joy, hope and SUGAR...
LOTS OF SUGAR...and TEMPTATION! 

Our "temptations" began with my sons gingerbread making party!  So much fun and a 1st grade tradition at their school.  I love this time of year through a child's eyes.  Such beauty and pure innocence and happiness.  We had FUN! 

By the time he finished decorating, there was SUGAR everywhere and he was so excited to come home and eat it!  I LOVE pretzels so it was very tempting for me to devour that "roof" BUT I refrained after much convincing of my own.  

Keep in mind, it's OKAY to give into temptation but choose wisely.  I do not suggest banning any food from your body because when you say NO, your mind wants it THAT much more.  That's is the way I'd sabotage myself over and over again in past attempts at getting healthy.  I say make it worth it and indulge with things that you CAN control.  There are many "temptations" that once I start munching, my brain shuts off and I cannot STOP...I lose total control and by the time I check back in that bag-box-container-"roof" is GONE :( uh oh!!!  

My Italian background taught me that baking cookies with LOVE is a great way to spread the Merry of Christmas!!  
So after much hesitation, I decided I'd spend my Sunday baking goodies for the people we love most :)  
It started by grabbing a few "messy" looking cookies and by the time I realized it, I had taken out about 6 cookies!!!  Eeeek.  Now 6 is the grand scheme of things isn't too shabby but it could have gotten MUCH, MUCH worse!  I checked back in and stopped myself before things got out of hand and continued baking.  

and baking...

...AND BAKING!!!  

ANDDDDD BAKING!!!!!  

I have learned to make the RIGHT amount of cookies that leaves little for temptations.  After packing up the goodies for teachers, family and friends, I had just enough for the boys and hubby to have a few "taste testers" and with their approval, we sealed them up!  Ahhhh....

So while the parties, celebrations and memories are being made, it does NOT mean that your healthy way of life has to be thrown directly out of the nearest window!  Control yourself and constantly remind yourself of how great you feel at your best and how low you feel at your worst!  It's a reality check for your brain and TUMMY.  

We are human.  We make mistakes and we indulge too much, we have good days and bad, sometimes we hate to wake up and exercise and we hate preparing our healthy meals BUT we hated being unhealthy much more. I know I did.  I hated that feeling of guilt and sickness when I'd eat so much I could barf.  THAT IS NO WAY TO LIVE.  So when you are faced with Holiday goodies at home, work, school, or at your child's Christmas party -remind yourself that YOU are in control and YOU decide how you want to feel and live EVERY DAY!  

With that, learn to balance the good and bad.  It's the ONLY way to find long term success.  I'd say I'm about 85%-90% on the healthy bandwagon but contrary to what you might think, I do have moments where I'm not "perfect" and the temptations get the best of me but what I do NOT do is allow that 10% to become 100%!  That's what I used to do for soooo long.  I'd make one bad choice and that would ruin my entire day of eating and lack of exercise...I'd quit EACH and EVERY time I was faced with a challenge or temptation.  Ugh, what a terrible way to live...it actually isn't living very much at all.  Been there?  Don't stay there...get OUT!  It's never too late and the Holiday season is a PERFECT time to test your will power, strength and determination!!!!