By Karen McNamara
For many of us, the holiday season begins on Halloween. From rifling through our kids’ candy bags for some “fun size” candy (one of the best marketing terms ever) all the way through the day before we enact our New Year’s Resolution, our will power is put to the ultimate test.Most of us are keenly aware of the multi-sensorial art of advertising – especially when it comes to food – and how it influences us to buy/buy-into/eat things that we may or may not need or even want. This force is at its most powerful during the ever-expanding holiday season.
So my strategy is to outsmart the temptations by focusing on how I feel AFTER over-indulging. Are these cookies really worth it? Do I really need a second lap around the hors d’oeuvres table? If I don’t eat/drink this now, can I have it at another time? (Translation: If tomorrow or the next day, I still really want that ‘whatever,’ I will eat/drink it. Note: I rarely ever remember the temptation, but giving myself permission to change my mind later makes saying ‘no’ palatable!)
Yes, food is a big, wonderful part of holiday celebrations and should be shared and enjoyed with family and friends. This holiday season, eat, drink and be merry in moderation by outwitting the commercial machine and tuning in to how you feel. You’ll have a whole new outlook come 2015! Cheers!
What are some of your strategies for being merry in moderation?
