Once You Pop You Just Can’t Stop

I really love food. And I REALLY love sweet potato, so I’m likely to eat sweet potato anything. It’s my absolute favorite food. What do I do for Thanksgiving? Christmas? Should I just sit them out all together?

So, some people just plan to go off-plan/off-the-wagon for Thanksgiving and Christmas and even Halloween, and get right back on track as soon as their planned adventure is over. If you are one of those people who CAN get right back on track then this may absolutely be the way for you.

If trying to figure out what to eat at your gathering is stressing you out, having this off-road adventure may save you the stress of trying to figure it out. If you’re being particularly quiet about your way of eating, just eating what’s there may also help you avoid any “what diet are you on” questions, and the barrage of criticism if you are doing keto.

That said, you really must be aware of yourself and your limitations. If you struggle to get on and stay on any particular wagon, then a planned “cheat” may not be the way to go because you may find yourself in cheat mode for days or even weeks.

If you are particularly carb sensitive you may find that one or two meals may set you back more than you would like, and may prime your craving pumps. It’s not always as simple as just eating low-carb the next day. Water weight and clearing the cravings may take up to a week or more.

There have been many a holiday meal where I sat eating turkey (Thanksgiving) or ham (Christmas) and nothing else. Sure, it made people question me, and I really had to stick to my guns when the food pushers kicked it into high gear. But in the end, it was worth it, because I had no cravings, no weight gain, and I built my confidence and resolve in the process. If I could resist those traditional holiday foods, how committed was I? VERY.

Finally, specifically addressing your sweet potato… My question would be what is it about sweet potato that gets you going? Flavor? Texture? I mean, do you eat them plain, or must they be decked out with butter, cinnamon, spices, and/or sugar? Do you have specific memories or feelings/emotions when it comes to sweet potato?

Now, you may not have really meant this but you basically presented the option of skipping Thanksgiving rather than fight a sweet potato craving. This says (obviously) that sweet potato has some sort of power over you. Then you said “I am going to eat…” This is not a “maybe” or a “possibly” or even a “probably” – this is “I WILL.” You’ve just given yourself the suggestion to be weak willed when it comes to sweet potato.

Taking it a step further, have you got sweet potatoes unlike the kind I see in the store? I mean, sure, I like a sweet potato, but it doesn’t hold a gun to my head and say “EAT ME or the broccoli gets it!” I’m joking here because you are always in control of what you put in your mouth, and potatoes can’t MAKE you do anything.

So, you’re basically saying that sweet potato is more important to you than your diet, weight loss, health, time with friends and family. Of course, that may be true, so there’s #noJudgmentHere.

Good luck whatever you decide!