I am so ready for pie.
My mother-in-law makes a mean coconut creme pie. And she also makes her cornbread with bacon grease. HELL YES. I’ve been thinking about it for like three weeks now. And you know what I haven’t been thinking about? How stressful it’s going to be to eat a delicious Southern-cooked Thanksgiving meal with family.
Because why should this be stressful?
Isn’t the entire point of this holiday to enjoy time with friends and family and put aside silly stresses and “first world problems” like gym workouts? Or like how many minutes you’ll have to get on the elliptical to work off the cranberry sauce you ate. Or the shame that you create in your own mind based on these hideous phrases that have been created and perpetuated like “work out before you pork out!”
Before you pork out?
I freaking love pork. Don’t you dare shame me about my pork eating habits.
But I digress.
Y’all, food is hard. It’s so, so hard. Fostering a healthy relationship with food is incredibly difficult, and it’s something you have to work at constantly. It’s a practice. And it’s often something that needs continual support and coaching, because these negative messages are all around us, all the time. Especially this time of year.
Listen, I’m not saying you should eat everything in sight for the next five days. But you know what you should do? Allow yourself to enjoy the foods and drinks that give you joy and pleasure without forcing yourself to somehow “cancel them out” with exercise. And then move on with your life.
Because food is fuel. And exercise is not punishment.
More insights like this, on holiday weeks and every week, right here. And if you struggle with this conversation? Let’s have more of it. Email me anytime, or check out Fitness Unraveled for personalized support in this practice.