Guest Author

So let’s review what happened over the festive season.   Did you stuff yourself only to resolve that Janauary is the time to get yourself back onto the straight and narrow? 

So let’s review what happened over the festive season.   Did you stuff yourself only to resolve that Janauary is the time to get yourself back onto the straight and narrow? 

 I mean, after all, there are so many foods associated with Christmas that, oh my goodness if we don’t have them now, we won’t see it for another year… That yummy Christmas pudding with the to-die-for caramel sauce, or that turkey stuffing with dollops of cranberry source and what about that pickled ham dripping with your favourite honey-mustard glazing!   Or was the holiday one of those times when eating, drinking (a big calorie adder) and being merry were there just because …. well aren’t holidays times to 'let it all hang out and make up for all the times we’ve ‘been good’ this year? 

And what about eating more than usual just because everyone around us is as well - you know how you weren't thinking of eating until you saw someone else diving into the fridge for left-overs and then it suddenly that gave you permission to eat as well?   Or of course there were also all those left-overs and how can you not be a member of the ‘clean plate club’ when you think how many unfortunate others won’t even be having a Christmas meal.  There seem to be so many more food traps to respond to over the festive season.

And, let’s not forget that Christmas is often a time of family gatherings.  So did you have that ever-dreaded dysfunctional family get-together which meant you spent your time stuffing down all those emotions, as sister-Suzie, Aunt Jane or dear ‘ol Dad pressed all those old buttons? Or was your family gathering one of those joyous events with eating galore because that’s what happy families do during celebratory times – we make special meals and eat and eat and eat!  Or was it a time when you weren’t able to be with loved ones and so the longing and loneliness got tranquilized with food glorius food? 

And now suddenly…yikes!  along comes January, a time for cozzies and beaches and other flesh-showing outfits and we go into panic mode which prompts us to think 'DIET'... And that’s where the problem starts!  We are lured back to the vicious dieting cycle – because we got inspired by yet another latest and greatest fad diet-  that only works long term for about 5% of all dieters. And this is why January is so tricky.  You survived the Christmas eating onslaught… but now it’s a time of new resolve and not to mention those familiar-sounding New Years resolutions!  

2007, we resolve (as we have in previous years) is the year when we are finally going to get it right – when we’re finally going to be united in happiness with our scale!!!!  This makes us ultra vulnerable to going into a panic-stricken diet mode!   Resolve instead to try something NEW.  Instead of resolving to change your body, resolve to change your MIND:  your habits and mindsets because when your mind changes, then your body can follow naturally and without all the trauma.  Resolve NOT to diet but to listen to your body and make body-wise and healthy choices.

Cari Corbet-Owen is a Clinical Psychologist and author of Mind over Fatter wwwmindoverfatter.co.za

Special offer until the end of February – any paid for Mind over Fatter orders will quality for a R50.00 reduction so long as you mention you saw this offer in the InspiringWomen newsletter.  And if you’re looking for more info on the programme, please e.mail info@mindoverfatter.co.za for a brochure or visit www.mindoverfatter.co.za