From The Storyteller
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Aug. 5, 2019, Vacation
Question: What do donuts, refried beans, rice, fajitas, BBQ, cold beer and IHOP pancakes have in common? Answer: 8lbs weight gain in six days. I know from experience that I will participate in “vacation eating” events, and if not handled properly, I will experience “weight gain guilt”. This leads me to share my method for enjoying guilt-free, vacation eating. First, on routine days (which are most days) my diet includes meals that allows for a successful, slow, downward trend. Second, this focus also includes my “vacation eating” exemption, which allows for occasional, unlimited eating variations. Knowing what this exemption can do to any weight loss program did not deter us, because we had kids and grand kids to see. So throwing caution to the wind, we left for Kansas. The above question and answer are a direct result of a six day “vacation eating” exemption. The key is in the word “vacation”. If the day is a typical routine day, then no “vacation”. If on the other hand it holds something special like birthdays and graduations, I go with the flow and intentionally declare a “vacation” day. Once that is done the exemption kicks in and almost instantly there are great eating options everywhere. The “vacation” declaration blocks weight gain guilt because the gain is already built into my plan. Two steps forward, one (or two) steps back. For particularly long, “vacation eating” events (read here trips to Kansas) I have a backup plan. As a kid, if we wanted to call time out we would yell, “King’s X”, and a tag wouldn’t count. So for extended “vacation eating” events, I simply declare “King’s X” and like magic, 8lbs of weight gain doesn’t count. It works for me! Moral: All days are made to be enjoyed; it makes life better. |