When it comes to resisting temptation, this time of year poses a particularly difficult challenge for me. First of all, the colder winter temperatures are setting in and call me crazy but I truly believe that my primal being wants to add a few insulating pounds. Secondly it’s the busy social time of the year and we all know it’s typically accompanied by an abundance of delicious food. And lastly, my love (family, friends and dog excluded) is food. I love every thing about food. Reading about it, writing about it, talking about it, creating it and mostly savoring lots of palatable morsels.
The holiday season while treasured for many reasons is my nemesis. Oh wait! It’s not the holiday season that’s my nemesis; it’s my lack of willpower. Is that just a ‘me’ problem? “They” say that willpower is a muscle and it must be exercised.
As with any exercise program, your willpower workout must become a routine, a habit and that takes time and discipline. Devising strategies to enforce the habit is key to long term success. When it comes to over indulging during the holidays knowing ahead of time what you will do to resist temptation when it strikes is critical.
Here are a few tactics that I will implement to help me resist temptation this holiday season:
- Survey the landscape before I eat anything from the buffet table or from that plate of homemade goodies at the office, I’ll peruse the entire thing and decide what to choose. Making conscious choices will help me eliminate the temptation to overload my plate.
- Put meat in a supporting role as is done in many countries rather than as the star.
- Dine at home on broth soups instead of stews – A delicious root vegetable soup, this Mediterranean Fish Soup, or perhaps this Tuscan Peasant Soup with Rosemary & Pancetta.
- Focus on vegetables and make a delicious salad at every meal. Had this Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad recently (shout out to Jessi!) or this simple Spinach Salad with Dates and Jicama is just the right colors for a Christmas buffet table.
- Forget bread and butter, garlic toast and croutons.
- Choose a vinaigrette over heavier creamy dressings.
I know all these tactics seem very logical and you want to say (or perhaps you have said) ‘duh’! But when temptation strikes and I’m sure it will, these things are easy to ignore or to convince yourself that you’ll implement them ‘next time’. I’m determined to exercise my willpower during this holiday season and who knows by the first week in January I may be well on my way to a strong willpower muscle and a fully formed good habit.
Resisting temptation… thanks for visiting palatable life.
Be inspired,
Diane