It’s that time of the year when you have to stretch your imagination to come up with clever ways to feel better about all you’ve eaten as you try to find as much optimism as possible as you look towards January!
- “I’ll just have a little bit of everything.”
We’ve all fallen for this trick when we’re left in charge of our own portion sizes. How smug do we feel thinking we are eating in moderation? Unfortunately, a little bit of everything is actually a large serving spoonful of everything. Placing a few Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes on top of your food mountain becomes a fine balancing act.
- “I couldn’t manage a pudding…but I’ll share one!”
You know you’re so full it hurts but you’re also scared of missing out. You just want a taste. However, the offer of sharing soon turns into having a few spoonfuls of everyone’s pudding because it turns out everyone is just as full as you. You are now sharing 6 desserts not one.
- “Well if you think about it, I’ve only had the one meal today and a few chocolates.”
…Except the one meal was Christmas dinner which included three courses and second helpings. The few chocolates were actually 20 Quality Street.
- “It’s Christmas!”
This little phrase will justify ANYTHING over the festive season. A glass of wine at 11am? “It’s Christmas!” Double cream on any dessert? “It’s Christmas!” Making enough food for 12 people when there are only 6 of you? “It’s Christmas!”
- “Go on then!”
You definitely don’t want any more to eat, you couldn’t manage another thing. ‘Are you sure?’ they ask…Oh OK go on then!
- “I’ve actually eaten quite healthily today…”
You really have to get inventive with this one as you try to justify all you’ve eaten in order to make yourself feel better. We all know salted and caramelised nuts don’t count as a healthy snack and that Christmas pudding does not count as one of your 5 a day!
- “We should all go for a nice long walk tomorrow.”
The word ‘tomorrow’ says it all. No-one has the energy to sit around the table for a board game but you truly believe you’ll be rip roaring ready to go tomorrow! My advice? Just go! You may not feel like it but you’ll feel much better for it.
- “This is the last day of over-eating.”
Usually spoken on the 1st of January with plans of a virtuous month ahead. The only hitch is you’ve forgotten all about the January birthdays that require meals out…
- “We better eat all these selection boxes now to avoid any temptation in January.”
It soon gets to that stage where eating chocolate feels like a full-time job as you desperately try to get rid of it all before the New Year when it’s healthy living all the way!
- “That’s it, I’m joining the gym.”
The decision to join makes you feel so good about yourself that you forget you actually have to go to reap the rewards. I advise making a U-turn on this one and sign up for Dance Fit instead! Just as beneficial and much more fun I’ve heard…
What your relatives will say to you…
“We will never eat all this.”
They won’t eat it but they bought it! The diet is meant to start tomorrow but you find yourself carrying 5 bags full of leftovers home. Then it dawns on you….do I have to wash these all this tupperware?!
