An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Did you know that the average woman gains one pound during the holiday season, while some go as low as half a pound and some go as much as two?

Okay, that’s not so bad, right? Losing an unwanted pound or two is pretty easy.

What ends up happening, though, is that pound is not lost. And another is gained the next season. Then another the season after that. Then another and another until it compounds over time into a significant number.

That’s just from the holidays. 

But it’s to be expected, right? With all that extra food and those holiday treats and gatherings galore, gaining that weight is just inevitable.

It doesn’t have to be.

You don’t actually have to gain weight over the holidays. In fact, you could actually even lose weight. I personally lost 20 pounds during a holiday season – from October to January – and I’ve maintained that loss for the last nine years with the same simple habits that helped me lose weight.

It is possible.

And no, I don’t have saint-like willpower or an ascetic approach to eating. 

I love food. Sweets make me happy. And goodness, do I enjoy wine (bring on the bubbles!).

I’ve just learned how to eat in a way that let’s me derive maximum satisfaction without the guilt.

I’ve learned to approach food as a gift and my body as a sacred temple. Eating is a sacred act – more like going to church than zooming into a drive-thru.

I’ve learned to slow down and savor my food, to truly enjoy it and that has made all the difference.

This approach has made eating year-round, not just at the holidays, completely guilt-free, because I know how to indulge mindfully. And if I do overindulge, I know how to gently course correct without beating myself up or depriving myself for days.

Would you like to take that approach as well?

I made something for you.