Feast Upon This

Who’s ready to indulge in all of the holiday feasts!

That was a trick question.

This time of year, we are presented with the perfect example of why dieting is a bad idea. Please allow me to explain:

So you’ve been on a “diet”. Maybe you’ve gone keto or gluten free or dairy free or who knows what. The point is, you have been withholding your body from something.

So if you’ve gone months (or weeks or days) without a certain food group, what sort of shock do you think you place on your body when you decide to indulge during the holidays?

In all truth, these fad diets are nothing more than depriving your body from the natural foods God put on this earth to provide you with a proper nutritional balance and good health.

“For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,”

– 1 Timothy 4:4

Judgment aside, let me step back a moment to a more personal example:

I am on a very low sodium diet due to salt worsening my condition. Regardless of the fact that we all tend to consume too much salt as is, venturing off this path always trips up my body. Simply eating out at a restaurant can cause my symptoms to spike. So what do you think happens during holidays when I consume meals cooked by others who are not on low sodium diets? My body becomes shocked.

But what does that mean?

The Shock Factor

Your body has been designed so delicately for each system to perform a particular function. We often don’t realize how sensitive these systems can be until something happens.

Take a fever for example. If your temperature begins to go up even just a couple of degrees, you immediately don’t feel well. You become tired, weak, maybe achy. Your appetite gets thrown off. One system after another, your body begins to wane. Let the fever last several days, and you will probably be seeking medical care.

Deprive yourself of something like water, and you can sit back and watch each system slowly shut down completely.

So imagine the toll your body takes when you go from eating one way to eating the complete opposite? Imagine the shock when you deprive yourself of sugar all week and then splurge on the weekends. When you cut out all carbs and then feast up on dinner rolls and pie for the holidays.

Do you think your body thanks you for allowing it to have such a “treat”?

Of course not!

Keep It Consistent

After all of the time we have been on this earth, you would think we would have understood by now the phrase “easy come easy go.” Sudden changes are drastic changes, and there are no quick fixes! It is never about going on a diet; it is about adjusting your diet – the diet that you eat on a daily, consistent basis.

If you would only allow your body to experience balance throughout the day and week and month to where there are no shock factors, the holidays would not sneak up on us as such a threat. There would be no toll taken on your heart. There would be no concern for your hormones and metabolism to run all over the charts.

Allow yourself to have bread, and a dinner roll will not cause harm. Stay consistent and moderate with your dietary intakes, and you will have learned how to enjoy the holidays without being the uncle asleep on the couch after lunch.

Who knows, you may find so much success in not-dieting that you won’t even need to invest in a New Year’s gym membership to “get back on track!”

In need of some more holiday tips when facing the feast?

Check out these five:

(Added Bonus: they can be used all year round!)

1.) Watch the Salt

It’s a proven fact that salt tends to lose it’s “saltiness” when added early in the cooking process. Save it for the end and allow for a more concentrated flavor at a lesser amount. Beware of canned, boxed, and processed items which tend to overdo the sodium tremendously.

Salt shakers can always be set out to allow your guests to add as their own needs require.

2.) Focus on the Feast

There is no denying that excitement, conversations, and distractions take our minds away from our plates. This in turn causes us to eat more without even realizing it. Learn to appreciate every bite before you, and you may realize you aren’t as desperate for more food as you think.

3.) Give It Time

It takes 20 minutes for your brain and stomach to agree that you’re full. Slow down the pace as you eat. Allow yourself to sit for a moment before deciding to go back for more.

4.) Don’t Skip Breakfast

Many think that skipping breakfast will leave more room for lunch. In a way, that is true – but not to your benefit. Skipping meals causes you to overeat, which is exactly what we are trying to avoid. It also slows down your metabolism and again, throws off the functions of each delicate system in your body.

5.) Drink Up!

Water that is. Nothing but water and lots of it. Sticking to just water avoids the added sugar and calories (and unnecessary junk) that you would likely get from any other beverage. It will also help fill you up to where excess food cant.

Remember, any food is food worth being thankful for. Avoid the gluttony and appreciate the holiday season for the true gratitude and joy it brings.