* Before I even write this piece, I know that I will ruffle some feathers. I know that this topic will polarise you, the reading audience. I’m okay with that. I’m okay with your opinion, as long as you’re okay with mine. We don’t have to agree with each other, merely listen and consider. Feel free to share your constructive thoughts at the end. I’m happy for you to disagree with me, but I won’t publish any comment which is abusive or not constructive. Had a few of those lately. When all else fails, go the insult!
I was on ABC radio here in Melbourne on Saturday discussing how we might enjoy the Christmas cheer without enjoying the traditional Christmas weight gain, and let’s just say that my thoughts weren’t met with universal approval from the listening audience. How dare I suggest that we don’t gorge ourselves on Christmas day. I was unaware that ‘moderation’ was a synonym for misery and deprivation. I was also unaware that we ‘deserve’ to eat ourselves to oblivion and that my thoughts on the matter are unrealistic and impractical. The message I got from some listeners is that there exists a direct correlation between calories consumed and ‘Christmas spirit’. And that there also exists a strong link between how much food is on the Christmas lunch/dinner table and having a good time. Lots of food = good time. Not so much food = bad time.
According to some listeners, I’m an idiot and a dickhead. How dare I suggest that we include some healthier options on our Christmas menu and that maybe we don’t continue eating until we explode. What am I thinking? Apparently, the point of Christmas is food. You know that whole ‘three wise men, the manger, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus’ thing? Well, turns out that the real meaning of Christmas is to see how much pleasure we can give ourselves via an inordinate amount of calories. Who’da thought?
How could we possibly have festive cheer without the gluttony? It’s what we do. And not doing it, is a form of deprivation. It’s disrespectful. It’s breaking with tradition, and who are we to question our parents and grandparents who paved the way by over-eating before us? We’ve even taken our ‘Christmas cheer’ to a new level. They’d be so proud.
The crazy thing about Christmas is that we actually plan to overeat and we think that’s normal and acceptable. It’s what we do. It’s how we celebrate. And if we don’t indulge ourselves we feel like we’ve ‘missed out’; a little neglected even.
Maybe I’m a freak, but the notion of planning to over-eat on a given day seems kinda stupid to me, especially when I live in a country with one of the fastest growing obesity rates on the planet and more fat (sorry, full-figured, big-boned, voluptuous) people, with more obesity-related medical conditions than ever before. Call me crazy. Call me boring.
Note to self: Craig, don’t describe fat people as fat; it’s offensive, politically incorrect and unprofessional. Not allowed. Calling tall people tall – fine. Skinny people skinny – fine. Funny people funny – fine. Fat people fat… not fine.
I wonder if I can say that I used be to fat? Not full-figured, big-boned or voluptuous… just really fat. A whopper. It’s okay if I’m talking about me, right? Probably not, someone will get grumpy. Okay, we’ll stick with ‘full-figured’, it sounds much nicer. And we love nice. We’re comfortable with that. And we’re addicted to comfort. Reality… not so much. Okay, full-figured it is. Did I ever tell you that I was full-figured teenager? Quite Voluptuous actually. Would have been a great athlete if not for my big bones. Nup, it just doesn’t sound the same.
Isn’t it funny how some of us continue to find a way to get offended, rather than find a way to get healthy? Isn’t it also amusing how people get mad at me for stating an obvious reality (that an individual might be obese, for example) but not mad at themselves for what they have done to their body. Of course I would never walk up to someone and call them fat, but when I am discussing health and all it’s related issues in a professional context, I will speak the truth, and I will call obesity what it is; an over-fat body. While some people may use the term ‘fat’ in a derogatory sense, I don’t. I am using it in a scientific and pragmatic sense. I am referring to a person’s physiological state. Full stop.
While I had my share of supporters (back to the Saturday radio thing now) who thought I was speaking some common sense, there were others who asserted that “people like me are perpetuating eating disorders” and that I was “a self-righteous moron”. One woman told me that I was “dull and boring” and that I was a member of the “fun police” because I suggested that we moderate our food intake on Christmas day. I also had numerous abusive text messages. All in all, a fun time for me.
Okay so here’s exactly what I think about ho, ho, ho-ing into those Christmas calories:
1. Of course it’s okay to enjoy food, look forward to a meal (or ten) and to incorporate some ‘treat’ foods into your Christmas food plan. The occasional splurge is fine, but not when it lasts for two weeks or two months. The biggest eating issue at this time of the year is simply the ridiculous volume of food we consume… and not for one day. We eat because it’s there. Because it’s free. Because it’s at our finger tips. Because we’ve worked hard all year (and therefore we must overeat – go figure) and one of my personal faves… because it’s all paid for! Wouldn’t wanna waste anything would we? Imagine a world where we ate because we actually needed food, rather than wanted it, medicated with it, socialised with it or rewarded ourselves with it. What a concept. Crazy, I know. That’ll never catch on. Needs-based eating… not a chance.
2. It’s not okay to plan to overeat. I know this kind of thinking puts me in the minority, but I don’t care. People can rationalise over-eating with whatever weird-ass, self-serving psychology they like, but the truth is, it’s destructive and bad for our bodies. I am amazed at the ability we (we the society) have to justify stupid behaviour because it simply makes us feel good (for about an hour). One woman said to me recently “but yer gotta live” and when I asked her “so if you don’t over-eat at Christmas, does that mean you’re not living?” She got grumpy. Of course. When there is no logic left for you, reach for the insult or the indignant eye roll and heavy sigh.
3. Some traditions are stupid and destructive. I don’t care how long you’ve been doing it ‘that way’. My great grandparents, my grandparents and my parents all smoked… quite the tradition really.
4. We are pleasure addicts and we associate food with pleasure, therefore more food equals more pleasure. But what happens five minutes after we finish our Christmas lunch binge? We feel physically ill, we feel tired, we regret eating so much and we put our body in a state of stress because our digestive system is working triple-time trying to deal with an extreme over-supply of food. Excess food that our body doesn’t want, but our mind tells us we need to enjoy the ‘Christmas experience’. What a load of crap.
5. I love food. It’s why I was a fat kid. Sorry, voluptuous. Full-figured. And I know that food can be a source of pleasure in a healthy, sensible eating strategy. I look forward to my mother’s Christmas lunch and yes, I will enjoy some ‘Christmas foods’ and some pudding. But no, I won’t eat mountains of it. And no, I won’t feel sick or regretful afterwards. I know that I don’t need to over-eat to have a good day. Actually, I may substitute the pudding for cheesecake.
6. “But surely Craig, you are being a little ‘food police’ on us; it’s only one day?” Good question. I actually don’t care too much about that one day of the year. If it was only about over-eating on one day out of three sixty five, I wouldn’t write this piece and we wouldn’t have a problem, but you know, and I know, it’s not. It’s about the entire Christmas/New Year period. Some of us over-eat for a month. Some of us for a lifetime. It’s the psychology and the mentality behind the Christmas excess (not just that one meal) which is of concern to me. I have worked with many people (over the years) who have gained between 3-5 kgs (6.5-11lbs) over the Christmas/New Year period. They always regret it. Emotionally, mentally and physically, they feel horrible. I worked with a guy a few years ago who gained 10kgs (22lbs) between Christmas day and the end of January – quite the effort. It took him three months to lose.
7. Do not mis-interpret what I am saying. I am not saying don’t eat or don’t enjoy your Christmas meals. I am saying don’t use Christmas as a way to justify gluttony. Eating – fine. Stuffing yourself with an excess of food – not fine.
For me, Christmas is about giving, laughing, relaxing, hanging out with my family, being grateful for what I have and listening to my Dad sing (for want of a better term) all those carols. Again. I really wish he’d get a new CD.
* Okay, now it’s your turn. Click on the comments thingy, tell us what you think about this article and where you are from.
{ 65 comments… read them below or add one }
Craig
When i was a kid i used to be embarrassed and feel left out cause my family didn’t celebrate the same xmas as everybody else. We had to wait until January 7th. And we never had the whole xmas presents, shopping, relatives, table full of all that special food u would never eat until xmas.It’s not part of our tradition. But now i am glad. The only splurge we have is a turkey and homemade bread. Sometimes we don’t even have desert.And no visiting relatives either. The tradition in our religion is just the nuclear family (unless u chose to invite someone), church the night before, keeping a lighted candle on the kitchen table all day, going to a little trouble to prepare something u wouldn’t normally make, and homemade bread with a little money hidden in it. Despite having a big appetite (u don’t get to over 100kg without one)i have never once overindulged over xmas because too be honest there is nothing really to overindulge in. Xmas day for my family is more about relaxing then entertaining and now i’m glad. And when i see all those people going crazy in the shopping malls a week before xmas, all those screaming kids and maxed out credit cards, the stress of what presents to buy, i’m glad i don’t have to deal with that crap.
As for the ‘fat’ word, people give me a hard time about that too. Even my trainer says i shouldn’t use that word. Everytime i impress him (or myself) physically i always say ‘not bad for a fat chick ay?” He hates it, he says it is negative and i should use ‘overweight’ instead. Some bullshit about turning your negative thoughts into positive thoughts (doesn’t work for me).Fortunately i don’t listen to him (except for the exercise parts). The way i see it, if i’ve been fat most of my life and once weighed 112kg, i figure i can call myself whatever the F**** i want. It’s not me that can’t deal with it, it’s ‘them’.
ange- sydney
Nice one Craig,
I didn’t hear you on the ABC over the weekend but my guess is that most people didn’t ‘hear you out’.
I don’t find anything wrong with what you have said. Unfortunately so many people justify behaviours that contradict what they are really trying to achieve – what I call Sesame Street excuses….real kid’s mentality – are they serious?
Recently I met a girl who wants to do some training with my PT company. She used to be thin, active, attractive etc…. Now she wants to get back to that.
Even discussing an exercise plan with her was met with these Sesame Street excuses. “First I need to check with my herbalist, I can’t eat vegetables because not many suit my blood type, I have done resistant training before and it doesn’t work, there is no way I could eat breakfast because I haven’t been able to since I was 14, let me check with my chiropracter, massage therapist, acupuncturist, skin therapist, next door neighbour….blah blah blah blah blah”
Like I said Craig – got no problems with what you have said. Good on you….shake things up a bit, challenge the Sesame Street Excuses, put the pressure on and change the way people think.
I am with you all the way….think we have our work cut out for us though!!!
If you need a place to hide from all those “full figured” gluttons…come to my place.
If it’s not one addiction for us it’s another. At the bad end of the scale…it’s drugs…at the legal end of the scale, it’s food. Instant gratification and legal…pity we don’t know when to stop.
Wow Craig- great post.
Only two days ago I said to my hubby “let’s not make pigs of ourselves this year”. I went to Aldi the other day and was looking at the chocolate and thought “ Im not doing this anymore”.
Something I have really noticed about myself over the last few months is how that now that I am eating healthy, suddenly changing my diet makes me feel like totally crap. Crap when I wake up, crap at the gym, crap mood, crap everything and more crap. To the extent that “what” I eat for dinner seriously affects me the next day whilst I am exercising. Im not talking about one slice of a cake. Im talking about a day full of bad choices for what ever reason. It was my birthday on Saturday gone and I really wanted to do well the next day in the fun run, so I didn’t do dumb birthday pigout. Sure I had I had birthday cake with smarties on top- but I did have fruit platter in bed for breaky! Im being self ritious now arnt i? Now im digressing…
Do you notice this if you eat too much cheese cake- or is there never enough??
Maybe if the only thing people eat “is” crap( and you already feel like crap) then eating so much at xmas wont effect your overall crap feeling physically and mentally? Lucky!!!!
Personally I would much prefer to feel comfortable this xmas and go for a bike ride with my family down at the Maribyrnong, rather than bloated and wishing that everyone would bugger off so that I can go have a lie down. Lol
Craig, you know you can lead a horse to water, but you cant make them drink( refering to all your “poo- poo-ers” This little pony appreciates that you have made the effort and is happily sipping.
Bye for now
Opinion expressed..
Elroy xxoo
Hey buddy…..
You’re Hilarious!!!! I love it!!! heheheahahaha…Havn’t laughed this hard in a while!!! I love how you can be so blunt…. but totally honest!!! Make ‘em squirm… give ‘em something to think about!!!!
Totally agree with everything you said!!! Just wait until people find out that the only thing you get out of food any way is the energy…. You just crap the rest out!!! Imagine that…. people just consuming the energy of food!!!! Try telling them they don’t really need to eat food at all!!!! Just the energy!!!! Hahahaha… Put it in a bottle!!! You’d make a fortune!!! hahahah (Pity it wouldn’t quite taste the same though!!!)
OMG!!! No wonder there’s so much stress and anxiety at this time of year… People overloading on processed anything, sugar and all the foods that make people go nuts…. Wait till they realise that the food/crap they are filling their body with is actually affecting their mental health as well as their physical!!! Hahahahaha
Very entertaining… very informative… and OH SO RIGHT!!!! (well…. in my humble opinion any way!!!)
Christmas for me and my girls is normally quiet… picnic in the park… loads of singing… bit of dancing…. and loads of lovin’(the hugging kind… not the other!!)…. I’ll leave the pigging out and feeling like shit to everyone else!!!!
Have an AMAZING week buddy.
Be good…..
See you for that massage soon!!!!
KK
XXX
P.s….. Does this mean that anyone who has ever been fat is entitled to use this word….????
In this case….
fat fat fat fat fat fat fat….
I’m with you Ange…. I don’t have an issue using the “F” word…. Perhaps the people with the problem have the issue???? Blunt is good… Honest is good… Sesame street excuses… Love it!!!!
All good here!!!
KK
I have had this argument with friends for YEARS!
I am overweight but I have never ever subscribed to the ideal that Xmas day needs to be a ‘blow out your entire metabolic system’ day.
Xmas 2004, we started a new tradition with our family. That year we were only allowed to give ’sporting/ exercise/ physical activity’ gifts and Xmas lunch was carefully organised and prepared so that each meal was delightful but energy friendly, fresh, healthy and colourful (sta cks of fruit, seafood etc)…
It was one of the best Xmases ever. Our entire extended family agreed.
I absolutely know and understand the bullshit excuse people come up with. Hey, I still have a friend who tries to convince me that because Im not having a roast lunch (on a 45 degree day? Pigs ring!) that it really isn’t Xmas. Seriously, if I subscribed to that notion, I’d be roasting chestnuts on an open fire and drinking eggnog.
Here’s to a bright, fresh, happy, glutton free Xmas!
Hi Ange.
Bread with money in it? I’m coming to your place for Christmas.
Hi Anon.
Yep, it is a pity.
Thanks for saying hi.
Hi Elroy.
Happy Birfdy!!
Yes, I need to be careful around cheesecake. My self-control seems to take a hit!
( )
Hi KK. Blunt works. Diplomacy takes too much time and effort.
Cheers.
Hey Miss Beck.
Think you’re onto something. If only others would follow suit.
Peace.
Kate – i didn’t mean only fat people are entitled to use the word ‘fat’ i meant, that i have the right to describe myself anyway i want. I spent a lot of years in denial and embarrassed about being fat and spent most of my time plotting revenge against anyone who called me fat or anyone who told me to lose weight. But eventually you get over it. If your in denial then as far as your concerned there is nothing to fix, and if there is nothing to fix than nothing changes. And i want change. I hate this time of you because all i see is gluttony. I see it in myself and in every shopping mall. I never really noticed the greed before until i saw it in myself. All i see lately is people (both fat and thin) buying too much stuff, shoving their faces with too much stuff, driving around in tanks filled with too much stuff and it’s all just too much. Makes my head want to explode and it makes me want to get rid of all my crappy stuff. I don’t want to be wasteful anymore. I want to give my heart what it desires not what my stomach desires. I want to turn my body into a machine, give it only what it needs but sometimes my eyes are bigger than my appetite.
By the way, your girls sound very lucky.
ange
Craig
There is not much you can buy with $2. It won’t get me that gastric bypass i’ve always wanted.
The money is supposed to be for luck, whoever finds it, keeps the money for a year (if they don’t choke on it first).
ange
Calling yourself fat is fine, but calling yourself a Whopper???? Let’s not forget that it’s a registered trademark for Burger King (TM).
I kid.
Not calling people fat might have a good effect, and that is, people don’t get as defensive about it and will be more likely to hear you out. However, how useful it is to hear semi-sugarcoated stuff… I don’t know.
I don’t think it’s a big deal to overeat on that one day. After all, how much can one meal do to your weight? However, I admit that it did take a few months for me to lose the extra weight I gained from one weekend of Las Vegas buffets. But yeah, over-eating for just one day will probably not do that much if you are eating real food… as long as you are not just eating sticks of butter (which my friend told me that she used to do as a kid, but hm, she’s still skinny).
Hey Kel.
Are you saying I called myself a hamburger?
LOL
I’m from the country and food for me is essentially fuel. But last week raising a sweat (playing sport) with a well known chef, it suddenly struck me that lots of people eat solely for pleasure.
And maybe I deserve pleasure not once a year or once a week but every day or every hour – via my mouth and taste buds (or argueably via my nose using chemicals) rather than via my positive thoughts, actions, reactions.
I reckon binge eating is pretty similar to binge drinking and binge drug taking, binge dieting etc – fairly destructive behaviour.
Everything in moderation. Thanks for the reminder, Craig!
I agree totally with you. Because it’s so hot anyway, who want to eat all that food, esp here in Oz. We are planning a bbq lunch with lots of salads and only then a bit of ice cream and Chrissie pudding as a treat.
The kids will be outside, running, jumping on the trampoline etc.
Great post and I’m glad you are so honest disregards what others might think.
I got my books delivered today, thank you so so much, I was stoked to see they were personally signed too.
Hey Ange….
The meaning of Christmas has really changed over the years…. It used to be about the birth of Jesus Christ, and being thankful for what we had and being nice to everyone……
Now it has gone waaaayyyy beyond commercial, and seems to be more about who gets what, and in what color and how many….. Not just the food stuff, but the presents, and how much did YOU spend, and OMG I’ll be paying for this until next Christmas…. and stress stress stress did I get something for everyone, and did I forget anything, and is Southland having an all-night shopping fest so I can really damage my head and hip pocket……
Perhaps this is a good time to reflect on how it all makes you feel, and use this time to work on YOU…. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again….
IT IS NO-ONE’S JOB TO LOVE YOU… IT IS YOUR JOB TO LOVE YOURSELF…. FOR EVERYONE ELSE… IT’S A CHOICE…
Use Christmas as an excuse and opportunity not to gorge on all the food and presents (as the majority do!!!!) but to love all those around you, and most importantly Love the most important GORGEOUS person to you…. YOU…
Here’s a big fat load of lovin’ comin’ your way…. XXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
KK
Hey there
I couldn’t agree with you more!!The eating starts at least six weeks before the actual day – morning teas, lunches, drinks and nibbles, dinners …… it goes on and on. All the end of year get togethers revolve around food – and people around me complain about having all the temptations in front of them!!! Mind you hardly any actually refrain from sampling all the treats laid out for them.
I find myself constantly planning how to avoid the food and temptations. People at work look at me strangely as I bring in fruit or salad wraps to eat instead of all the sugar and processed foods. They all make comments about ‘So much for the diet!’. At our work it seems we associate food with easing the discomfort of our current situation and use it to ‘destress’, when in actual fact it adds to people’s dilemmas.
Don’t get me wrong – I succumb to the lollies at times, and then of course get down on myself!
And then there are so many temptations for the kids – I am constantly saying no to my daughter and feel like such a mean mum!
For our family Christmas is about being together and the food is a bonus – it is getting less every year. Any creative food ideas out there?
Karen
Adelaide
Lots of different thinkers exist. Eating habits often emerge from conditioning and perception of what has or hasn’t been acceptable or available. Some of us are more attuned what we eat and why. Others aren’t.
Some people eat based on how they feel. Festive times may magnify sad memories and emotions. People eat when they feel angry, lonely, depressed or empty. Gluttony can be a symptom of deeper issues worth attention. Eating choices can reflect precarious levels of esteem, self-image, self-acceptance or control.
It makes sense to think about what we have to feel grateful for and how our food choices reflect how we feel about ourselves and the world. It makes sense to raise awareness about why you eat what you do and which consequences that can have for your body, mind and soul. After all, we’re all connected at the core.
Hi Karen…You mean mum you! LOL.
Thanks for dropping by.
Cheers.
Hi Liara. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Cheers.
I don’t comment here very often, but I read you every day. I totally agree with the “not having to stuff yourself” train of thought. My MIL always has bowls of lollies, chocolate covered nuts and chips around the house for weeks before and after Christmas and she uses the excuse that “it’s Christmas”. They’re not even good quality ones, they’re from the $2 shop!! Bah – I may be called a Scrooge by her and others who do the same, but i’d rather enjoy the day off work and the smile on my three year old’s face when he sees his presents than fill myself full of calorie laden crappy food and then feel sick afterwards.
Thanks for another great post Craig.
Briony (Newcastle NSW)
And here’s another thing…
Xmas suddenly becomes twice as expensive. In the past month I’ve seen the number of people doing cardio at my gym almost double. Why? Craig will have a better idea, but I’m going to guess this is mostly people getting prepared for their marathon eating contest at Christmas.
Craig, I’m not sure you’re going to see many negative comments on this post. Everything about it makes sense.
Thanks for the witty sarcasm. It’s always nice to wake up to a post like that!
Hi Craig,
Had a good giggle reading your post. Just last night my son (or should I say 19 yr 6ft worm) & I discussed where to have Christmas – we had wanted to spend time with all our family & friends. The ultimate decision was easy as he turned to me and said “no one makes food like aunty jenny” – so off to aunty jenny it is. In the meantime I have asked Santa for a double helping of willpower (seriously you have to taste her food). You are welcome to join us for Christmas lunch – distance a problem? we can just do the cyber thing and perhaps prevent ourselves from over indulging !!
Have a fun filled day
Cheryl ()
My fav Christmas tradition! Aim to get a 10km outdoor run in between 5.45 and 6.45am, – then for a even better rev up, – blast the push bike over that 10km after the invigorating run! Tidy the place up and shower and be all organised and full of beans when the family get up!
Open any gifts then we may have received, (but make sure surroundings are tidy), – then iced water and a fresh fruit salad for brekkie! Then it’s normally time for a fussy cleaning blitz for me! Don’t know why, – but I really like getting everything primed up Xmas morning, – dusting, ironing, vacumming LOL.
Then the relatives come, – maybe a glass of wine before lunch, and a glass of champers with lunch. Then 100g or so lean meat with one smallish new potato with it’s skin on, and steamed greens for lunch, – (don’t want more!). I like being first to wash up, (don’t feel overful or lethargic, – then may play some outdoor games and socialise with relatives. Tea, – 100g lean cold meat and salad, – maybe a few fresh berries.
If all the family lived in Perth, – I think a Christmas brekkie, then a 20k cycle to the beach, then a picnic and a swim/kayak ride and a few beverages would rock!
Other than the wine and beer, – that can’t be picked on too much LOL!
I totally agree with your post today by the way Craig!
Some great ideas there. One of my new traditions is getting out for a run on Xmas morning. You get the biggest smiles and nods from other runners… and weird looks from everyone else!
Hey B.
You should comment more often!
Thanks for saying hi.
Hi Jamie.
You’re right.. some people ‘peak’ for Christmas day!!
Cheers.
Hi Cheryl.
Can you email me Aunty Jenny’s address?
What should I wear?
Cheers.
Hi Pip.
You’re hard-core!!
That’s why I like you.
Hi Kathrynoh.
Love that early morning run.
Embrace those weird looks!!
Cheers.
Hi Craig,
Guess what??
I was overweight last Cchristmas and am still overweight this Christmas . . . .
(78kgs, BMI 29)
But i am not fat.
Mark, Highett
Great post, Craig! I’m a fat woman working on becoming fit and healthy, and this post on the holidays and pigging out is much appreciated. I’m from Boulder, Colorado in the States, and just did my first non-stuffing-myself-silly Thanksgiving. Actually survived two celebratory meals without going overboard and managed to lose weight even though I enjoyed a few things. A few. Vive la difference! Getting a lot more practice in this month leaving pretty much everything alone through parties, treats being everywhere in the office, etc. etc., and I have to say, it feels good. I feel proud of myself and it’s wonderful. Much better than being stuffed and miserable. Now I’ve just gotta keep this up for the rest of my life. Thanks for the inspiration. Keep on telling the truth. People need to hear it, even if they don’t always like it!
Craig,
Your posts always inspire and encourage thought. Thanks for that. My family gets tired of me forwarding them on to them but some (most) posts are just too good to keep to myself.
As far as Christmas binging/overeating…..what a treat living in Australia has been (I’m originally from the midwest of USA). Gone are the groaning tables full of every holiday delicacy imaginable and in its place is seafood and salad, a bottle of bubbly and a slice of Chrissie pudding. The BEST part of Christmas in Australia is the morning swim. I’ll take that over ‘dashing through the snow’ anyday.
oh yeah….and I’m fat. But less fat than last year and I plan to NOT be fat by next Christmas.
) Thanks for the inspiration.
G’day craig
A nice timely post and fun to read…and phiiey to your nasayers. I wonder if I need to alert you to one more factor of poltical correctness I have heard of…apparently all the Santas in santa school are taught they are no longer allowed to say ho ho ho! Apparently it is sexually offensive! Sad I know…so anyway…ho ho ho to everyone and have a happy time eating in moderation at Christmas! I was fat, am not so fat now and I am not going to get fat at christmas time!
jen from mildura
Hi Mark.
Yep, those height/weight charts don’t really mean much.
According to the ‘recommended’ weight range, I’m morbidly obese!
They don’t take into account muscle.
Cheers.
Hi Jackie – Good for you!! Keep focused and keeping doing what you need to do.
I love your state. I’m coming to Colorado in a couple of months to speak at a conference… it’s a fitness industry thing called ‘Meeting of the Minds’.
Thanks for saying hi and keep us updated.
Hi Sybil.
I’d like to dash through the snow once in my life… not a lot of snow in Melbourne at Christmas!
Thanks for saying hi, enjoy your week.
( )
Hi Jen.
Exactly how do I pronounce phiiey?
LOL.
Is that right about the ho, ho, ho thing? Bizarre.
What ever happened to normal?
( )
Happy Holidays Craigers!
I love Christmas & its traditions.
My best childhood memories are of Christmas…
I love the hustle and bustle…
The crazy shopping…
The complete 24 hour/7day overkill of carols on the radio beginning in November…
The department stores all decorated…
And the white lights wrapped around every tree lining the street…
The only thing about the holidays that causes me stress is the food…
It’s like everyone becomes a sugar “pusher”…
People you never talk to are taking you to lunch or throwing a dinner party…
Never serving anything on my list of approved delicacies…
So when I refrain from the red velvet cake or the sweet potato soufflé…
The peer pressure begins…
My problem is not the food so much as the overly merry food peddlers…
They are more relentless than crack dealers…
Determined to force-feed you every variety of sugar, butter & flour combination on the planet.
“Try this” or “Just one piece” …
are mottos they live by!
Oh… and when you say ever-so-politely, “no thank you’…
Well, you might as well have smacked them on the cheek…
they’re both astonished and insulted!
Last Christmas, at MY house…
I was actually accused of being bulimic because I didn’t eat a brownie!
(yes a freaking brownie, southerners are very proud of their culinary arts)
I am much too polite to mention the weight of my accuser…
It’s a double standard really…
I would be a horrible person if I said put down the second and third brownie,
your sweet tooth owes your ass an explanation!
But on the other hand, it is completely civil to tell someone they are obsessive and bulimic for lack of indulgence.
But other than that tidbit of insanity…
I love Christmas and all it brings…
Just please, no brownies this year,
It’s a very controversial dessert!
(Ho ho ha!)
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Tami
Ahh… Food Food Glorious Food!! Sounds like a song. I just love christmas. Two years ago I started with the obligatory christmas breakfast with my family that became morning tea and then hot lunch with my husbands family and then “the” photo was taken. A lovely photo of my little family and a very big mum! That was it, the kick in the a%$! I needed. This christmas I am 20kgs lighter and looking forward to still eating all the lovely things (who can resist apricot and rumballs) but now I know moderation and that is really all you need. Have a great day everyone and remember what is christmas day without cricket, rounders, or the Australian Backyard Open on the kids new Totem Tennis set!!
Good post Craig.
Unfortunately the aftermath of the Christmas excess has now lead to people making rather predictable new years resolutions each year to eat less and lose weight.
Isn’t this akin to “shutting the gate after the horse has bolted”?
Leanne M
Hi Craig
Love the post and so thought provoking. I agree Christmas should be about relaxing, family and just having fun not overindulging and making it last forever!!
My christmas is a bbq, salads, seafood and cheesecake (not too big on pudding)with kids running around enjoying there presents. Having said that i won’t be overindulging and sticking to my gola to a better me!!
Have a Merry Christmas everyone and a beaut New Year!!
Leanne (Melbourne)
Hi Craig,
Theodora here, all I can say is most people just DON’T GET IT!! It does not matter how many times you tell them or try to explain simple things to them they just can’t hear it. It’s all about the food and that’s it. UNFORTUNATELY for them they can’t see what they’re missing out on.
I would add holidays to Christmas also. My clients were shocked that I had access to a full buffet breakfast for 7 days and I “CHOSE” to eat only fruit/nust/oats for brekky. They actually couldn’t understand why I bothered to go away.
Hopefully this “FAT” epidemic will change (if anyone wants to use another word for it that’s fine they’re just being delusional about it) and people will start to care about themselves. That is what it comes down to: Do you like yourself or not?
To the rest of us we can all be proud on Boxing Day of having had a fullfilled Christmas with our loved ones and not have to worry about how much exercise we need to do to burn off what we pigged out on.
Hope you have a great Christmas Craig.
ho ho ho…
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22759570-5001021,00.html
yes Craig it is true…oh ooops…I guess that was phooey to your naysayers…I have been working too hard!
Anyway…Santa says Ho Ho Ho to you all!
Hi Tami.
“Last Christmas, at MY house…
I was actually accused of being bulimic because I didn’t eat a brownie!”
That’s weird.
Ho,ho,ho.
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Hi Narnie.
Cool name.
20kgs!!!!
Well done.
Hugs.
Hi Leanne.
Yep; Resolutions which last two days.
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