There has been a small uprising in my kitchen in the last couple of weeks – namely the conflict of my desire to eat right with the temptation that is refined sugar, holiday baking, and holiday gatherings. I admit I succumbed to the temptation more than a few times.
I’m paying for the indulgences, I feel lethargic and have had a few arthritis flare-ups that I am quite confident I can link directly to some poor food choices (wheat, dairy, sugar). I’m 38 and I feel like I should know better, but I’m also human and prone to make mistakes and give into temptations. Thankfully, I do know how to get myself out of this hole I’ve dug.
It’s time for a small detox and a giant infusion of healthy, whole foods. Because we have a well stocked pantry full of nutritious and mostly homegrown fruits and vegetables, I’ll be detoxing my system with lots of green smoothies and big bowls of warming and body-nourishing soups, starting today with things like: an orange, peach, orach smoothie and sweet potato coconut soup and beans and rice. The hot & sour soup we made a few weeks back will be making another appearance soon too – all that goodness in one bowl might just be the thing to get us back on track.
How about you? Please tell me I’m not the only one who lacks willpower this time of year. How do you get your system back on track when you’ve overindulged?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh good gods, you’re not alone. And we started out the season with a bout of flu at T-giving, a complete rewrite of a book, and Himself doing 20 hours of overtime in one week for a few weeks running, so we were eating a lot of crap due to lack of time/planning even before the cookies and other holiday fare started making an appearance. We don’t have your food sensitivities, but I’ve gotten to the point that processed food affects me poorly if I have more than a little.
Good luck sticking to the healthier food amid temptation. I want the sweet potato coconut soup recipe!
So there with you. Ugh.
I was thinking about what to do to undo this while I was still laying in bed. Soup sounds good.
Definitely considering a sugar bust for myself (and possibly running a guided one in January for people to participate).
Coconut sweet potato soup? Recipe? Cuz yum.
I was doing pretty well most of the month until we picked up snacks over the weekend for the kids and my husband. I try to pick out things I don’t like or won’t tempt me. It started with the brownie bark at Costco on Monday and ended most recently with chocolate cake for breakfast (my DD’s birthday) this morning.
I’m old enough to know better too and also have to avoid sugar/wheat/gluten (leaky gut/candida). I’ll be serving up whole foods through the rest of the holidays to get myself back on track. I was already getting back on track (too many starches) when my train majorly derailed over there in Chocolatesville.
This season is always hard. for a vegan who eats plant based, no added oil foods (that’s me). I decided that I would do 20 jumping jacks for every cookie, candy, or goodie I ate. That has helped some. But.
Yes, I’m working daily to focus on fresh healthy choices–smoothies, veggies.
Doesn’t everyone fall off the tracks at the holidays? Just trying to limit it to a reasonable amount and not give up on the fresh fruits and veg. Like the jumping jacks idea!