To The Person Who Is Terrified of Gaining Holiday Weight

some self-acceptance, seasonal awareness, and practical tips

To the person who is terrified of gaining holiday weight,

Who mentally punishes herself for the calories consumed even from a single chocolate-covered pretzel,

Who always lets the bread basket pass her by even though it smells so good,

Who is deeply upset that she still hasn’t lost the weight from last year,

You’re not alone. More people than you could ever realize are flooded with self-loathing thoughts about their bodies and appearances this time of year, and it can be brutal. In wintertime, fruits and veggies are harder to come by (or at least less fresh and more expensive), it’s not as easy to be active outdoors, and, yes, sugary and carby sweets are thrust in your face from every direction. Everyone tends to bulk up a bit more right now.

But is the difference of a couple pounds worth all the stress?

In last week’s Planning Priorities post, we talked about deciding ahead of time: are we going to say “yes” to enjoying treats with our family this season, even if it means possibly saying “no” to fitting in your current pants? It helps a lot to know that you’ve set an expectation and you’re fine with the potential outcome. It’s freeing to be able to just enjoy—either the treats or the boundaries—and know that you’ve already given yourself permission to do so.

Know this: your physical appearance is such a tiny portion of what matters about you. Wouldn’t you hate to be liked by others just because you look a certain way? Your real friends love you for you.

Whether you enjoy cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate this season or not isn’t going to matter ten years from now, but there are plenty of things that you can do that will. (Like writing letters, for example.)

That said, we all want to feel healthy and have energy this season. Our bodies are magnificent and deserve good care.

Maybe add some peas or broccoli to carby dishes. Maybe opt to limit storebought treats and make your own from scratch instead. If there is a Danish Kringle in my house, I am incapable of having fewer than four servings because it is so good 😅 But then I always feel sick after eating that much sugar and oil, so I’ve decided not to buy those anymore. Self-control is easier at the grocery store than it is at home.

Exercise releases all kinds of happy hormones and it really might be what you need right now to boost your spirits and feel strong. (I love Grow With Jo’s low-impact workouts and Les Mills for more high-impact workouts.) But maybe you just need to rest right now and trade a 30-minute sweat session for a 30-minute snuggle session. That’s fine too.

However many treats or treadmills you choose this season, I wish the best for you, as a whole person.

Warmly,

Hope from Family Scripts

P.S. After writing this post, we went grocery shopping, and my kids talked me into getting a Danish Kringle from Trader Joe’s after all 😜 They’re SO good!