There seems to be a bit of chatter out there about the holidays and clean eating. Should I keep all my holiday food clean? Should I sneak in a cheat treat or meal here or there? Should I just let it all go and then start again on January 1st? I have even heard a podcast questioning why we have to "get" through the holidays. These are all things that I have been thinking about lately.
I come from a large family of 8 children. I have 3 sisters and 4 brothers. My sister Ali lives 3 miles away from me. She has 3 grown children with spouse/significant others, 4 stepchildren, and 2 grandchildren. Ali is a great cook and entertainer. We have always gone to her house for holidays and special occasions. We call the get togethers food extravaganzas. My other 2 sisters are also great cooks and when we all get together it's all about food, food, and more food. My family really knows how to eat. The problem: I'm the only clean eater.
Tonight we had dinner at Ali's house. It was a large, noisy, fun family gathering.
This is just the desserts. I was in charge of the veggie tray, which was good because I knew that I would have something clean to eat. Ali also made green beans that were clean and some other nearly clean options. Compared to other years, I rocked it, but it wasn't completely clean. I decided to sample the desserts. I kept my portions small, but I did have a little of everything. I didn't go crazy though, since all that sugar can be overwhelming. And now I'm home and I left all that temptation at my sister's house.
Back to the original questions. What to do during the holidays. This is what I decided. The holidays are not something to dread or to get through. The holidays are something to enjoy. I am learning through this process what I can and can't do. I know that I need to surround myself with clean food and things that encourage me to keep my goals. I have also learned that when I totally deprive myself, I am setting myself up for failure. If I'm going to splurge, it's best to do it and then leave it behind.
I also learned today that my husband isn't totally enthralled by my obsession with clean eating and fat loss. Before I started clean eating, I was a decent cook, but an even better baker. I loved to make cookies and breads and muffins and cupcakes. When I started to cook clean, I changed everything. I'm still trying to figure out recipes that my family likes. Most of the dinners that I have made have been a total flop. After much deliberation (in my head), I have decided that I need to figure out how to combine my old style of cooking, with the new. I have really enjoyed The Gracious Pantry food blog and I think that if I put my mind to it I can clean up some of my family's favorite recipes. It's going to be quite the challenge, but then again challenge=change.
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