“Driving Your Own Bus”

As I am sure you are all aware, we are halfway through the period that I affectionately like to call the “pyramid of doom”. For those of us that are trying to lose weight, or even just maintain a healthy balance, the deadly triangle of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas holidays capped by New Years Eve/Day creates an especially difficult period. We are bombarded by food, alcohol, and long hours of merriment, and still have to manage to get some semblance of work done before the New Year arrives.

There are few places to relax as plate after plate of cookies, pies, and homemade candy appear out of nowhere on office desks and in office break rooms. It seems relatively harmless when “Janine” from down the hall walks by with her world famous chocolate chip cookies, or “Phil” from accounting just happens to show up with his, only made once a year, butterscotch/chocolate dessert from heaven. All of these gestures by coworkers, mothers, grandmothers, friends, neighbors and random people you don’t even know, are nice. They are coming from the heart and are meant to put a smile on your face, but understand that ultimately (in terms of health and weight management). . . . . these people are not on your side! They are the enemy! The plates of deliciousness are hand grenades in the war on your waistline. Unfortunately, since it is unrealistic to ask people to not bring in these weapons of destruction of your mass :), WE have to make the decision to drive our own bus.

Driving your own bus has never been an easy task. It means that you have to take control of your eating habits despite the things that are going on around you. As parents, caregivers, and people that don’t want to upset the norm, we often find ourselves going away from where we need to be in order to please those around us. When you drive your own bus, you make conscious decisions to travel in the direction YOU need to go in order to reach your goals. Those around us can either ride as passengers or take a cab to their own destination. It might mean an extra stop at the grocery store or preparing a meal that only you consume. It may mean giving away, or throwing away, a stray plate that has made it to your home. Your family, friends, and coworkers may not understand and continue to inadvertently place roadblocks in your way, but you just have to keep driving. Cookies, cakes, pies, candy that only comes around once a year, and even world class desserts, are all roadblocks and landmines put in your way in an attempt to prevent you from reaching your goal.

The people that bring these delicious desserts are driving their own bus. They are doing what they want to do to bring enjoyment to the world. At the end of the day, they will not force you to eat anything. You have to make the choice. You have to drive you own bus.  Just remember, the holidays will end soon and the world will settle back to its normal schedule and routine. We just have to last a few more weeks!! It would be nice for all of us to be at a better place exiting the holidays than we were when entering.

DEV