"215 for the Snickers, 140 calories for 19 pieces of candy corn, and 200 calories for a cup of mashed potatoes."
If your brain doesn't have this trait for excessive calorie counting engraved in it, then you may never know how stressful the holidays can be.
Whether you're struggling with an eating disorder, counting Weight Watcher's points, or trying to lose a couple of extra pounds, you may find yourself struggling with numbers constantly running through your mind. It can take the fun out of any holiday.
"One Snickers, 2 Reese's, 3 Twizzlers." The calories add up, and the guilt sets in. "Are you seriously reaching for another piece of candy?" The voice in your head reminds you that you're slowly losing control. "Do you have any idea how much sugar is in that? Yuck, disgusting!"
As an aspiring dietetics student who is well aware of the horrendous side effects of sugar on your body, I struggle with letting go of the fear of enjoying holiday food. I sit in class and get lectured about Type 2 Diabetes, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, and Heart Disease. I have been trained to think that the food industry is poisoning us as a whole, and processed foods are slowly but surely killing us.
I log onto Instagram and see "Healthy Alternatives to Halloween Treats!!", with dark chocolate-covered grapes and black bean brownies. I see "healthy ice cream" and "spooky salads" being posted all over my Instagram feed. With more media influences, comes more internal and external guilt. My mind screams, "You're never going to get your abs back!" This is what the labeling of "good" and "bad" foods can do to someone who is struggling to find a healthy relationship with food.
I'm a 21-year-old athlete with a revving metabolism. The last thing I should be worried about is developing Type 2 Diabetes. I should be more concerned with getting a B in Chemistry, but all my brain can think about is how I'm possibly going to burn off all these calories tomorrow. So you know what I do? I eat the dang Snickers, I eat the candy corn, and I end the night with a bag of popcorn.
You know why?
Life is short.
Moderation is key. Eat your avocado toast for breakfast, have your hearty salad with chicken for lunch, and eat your Paleo Stew for dinner. Then, enjoy your few pieces of candy for dessert.
Years ago, I would starve myself all day during the holidays in order to save my calories, just so I could gorge and stuff my face at dinner with my family. None of the Elite Athletes I follow on Instagram post about indulging in endless amounts of Halloween candy, so why should I?
I've learned that the holidays are never about food, they're not about making healthier versions of recipes or sneaking vegetables into brownies. The holidays are about making memories with the people who mean the most to you. When you're more engaged with the calories on your plate than the conversations with the people around you, that's not "healthy".
I don't care how many vegetables are on your plate. If you're going to have a breakdown over eating a Pillsbury Crescent Roll then, girl, that's not healthy, either!
So with Halloween passing and Thanksgiving approaching, I encourage you to eat your grandma's Tiramisu and the extra creamy mashed potatoes. I can't promise you won't feel a little guilty about it, but what's worse is when you have to explain to your grammy why you don't want to eat the Tiramisu that she put so much love into.
You should never base your food choices off of what someone else is eating. Eat food that makes you feel strong and powerful, and eat food that may not be so healthy. But food that connects you to your family can be incorporated into any healthy lifestyle.
Put down your phone, put away your calorie tracker, stop worrying about hitting your macros, and start worrying about filling your heart with happiness.
