Forget skinny jeans, boots and puggle puppies — do you know what’s trendy right now?
Being on a diet.
Exercising a lot.
Feeling “gross” amidst the holidays.
And “cleansing,” “hitting the reset button” or “getting back on track.”
Now if you know me at all, you know I’ve never been considered trendy, hip or in touch with what’s hot.
(Photo stolen from Pamela, my second grade buddy who’s about to run her first half marathon in Las Vegas this weekend! Go wish her luck!)
Case in point: I wear legwarmers and think they’re amazing, both on the run and in the office. I cannot think of a single event or function where legwarmers wouldn’t be deemed appropriate.
So not only have I resisted the skinny jeans look (OK, it’s not just me resisting them — my thighs have always fought them as well) and held back from making a sure-to-be-regretted puggle puppy purchase, I’m also not on board with the latest “get back on track” trend that’s taking over Twitter and just about every blog post or magazine article that’s crossed my computer screen this week.
Thanks.
Really. Thanks for your tips about moderation and food guilt and how you “swear you enjoyed every bit of the holidays and just want to tighten things up now!”
But I’m all set. And I won’t be reading or following along or jumping on your run streaking bandwagons.
Like I said last year, I’m all about enjoying the holiday season (and, come on, every day of the year), and for me that often means eating sweet treats and drinking cool cocktails. And I’m sure as hell not about to pass up that third piece of brownie Nutella mousse cake (thanks, coworker) or ditch a ninth trip around the party buffet table because I’m desperately afraid of taking a bad photo come New Year’s Eve. You call it indulging, I call it “a normal day.”
I sense I’m being harsh and bitchy.
Look, I get it. I get the food guilt. I get the feeling of nastiness after a day, week or month of over-eating. It happens, and mostly it sucks. I don’t think anyone wakes up the Friday morning after Thanksgiving thinking, “Wow, that sixth piece of pie did wonders for my waistline!”
But…it’s OK. I swear it’s OK.
I’ll use myself an example to assure you I’m not trying to preach here: You may recall that I don’t do well with restriction. The “I bet you can’t eat just one” catchphrase may be the eventual title of my autobiography, and I don’t understand (or, honestly, trust) people who can buy a big cookie or ice cream sundae and not demolish the entire thing.
Since Labor Day, when I was released from the Hospital Of Fun, I’ve abandoned all rules of healthy living in favor of eating myself to the point of fullness during every single meal. It’s not ideal, and it shows. I was sick at the time and wasn’t at my “normal” weight, but I do know that I’ve gained 10–15 pounds since then.
Fifteen pounds is a lot of weight to gain in just three months. And when you’re 5’5″, that weight shows itself just about everywhere. I’m carrying it in my face, my arms and most noticeably, my stomach. When I go to spin classes these days, my thighs rub up against the seat in a way they never used to, and I’ve quit trying to look nice at the office, instead opting for jeans and sweaters — or whatever fits — every day. Running feels harder, like I’m wearing a backpack or weights on my ankles, and you may have noticed I’ve been posting more pictures of Tyler and fewer photos of myself. (Want to see unflattering photos? I’ve got plenty! Also I recommend singing those sentences like Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Really, try it!)
I’m not happy with how I look right now. It bothered me while I was on vacation (the whole “you can hide under bulky sweaters in the winter time” thing failed me and I thought about wearing a wetsuit instead of a bikini) and it horrified me when I caught my reflection in all 16 of the dressing rooms at the outlets the other day. I’m not currently comfortable in my own, significantly looser skin.
But I still can’t in good conscience write a post for you about “getting back on track” or “staying healthy around the holidays” because, frankly, I have no intentions of doing those things. And to try to convince you — or myself — otherwise would be bullshit.
I like the holiday season.
I like spending time with my friends and family. And with that comes big tables filled with all my favorite foods, many of them involving layers of cheese, loads of bread, piles of pasta or all the chocolate I’ve ever dreamed about.
I like food.
Fortunately, I also like to exercise.
But I’m not about to overdo it on either spectrum just because I’ve eaten a few servings of stuffing a few days (OK, months in my case) out of the entire year. I don’t have time for extra workouts right now, and I just can’t say no to the office treats. The lady magazines think I should do things like eat a handful of nuts before going to a party to “curb my appetite,” and I think that’s pointless. I want to eat the yummy party food!
And so I will.
Please enjoy the holidays this year. If for you that means cleansing your body so you can feel confident and strong, that’s great! If it means being extra indulgent and living in stretchy pants, that’s fine, too!
Just do what works for you, and remember: It’s just one time of year. It’s supposed to be fun!
Don’t think that because certain people are passing on the crab cakes in favor of the shrimp cocktail that you should do the same.
Have both.
Then have seconds.
Then meet me over by the fondue.
And maybe one of these days I’ll attempt to get into a pair of skinny jeans. Until then, you’ll find me in my cake-eating pants, licking frosting off my lips and eventually hitting the gym. The “balance” thing is a work not-so-much in progress.
Cheers to a happy, healthy-based-on-your-definition-of-the-word and guilt-free holiday season!
101 Responses
You want thing-a-ma-bobs, I’ve got twenty. But who cares? No big deal. I want more.
I didn’t realize people were moving up the “clean it up” thing a month! I’m used to that shit in January, but now we have to listen to it twice?! Also, who is going to Christmas parties several times a week? I’m invited to like 3 and they mostly only serve alcohol!
Gian sometimes wears legwarmers too, though he claims they are “calf sleeves.”
haha, as i just posted about staying on track this month despite the holidays! i do totally agree that the guilt talk sucks, but coming from this side of things where i was 100 pounds overweight for 20 years of my life, its REALLY hard to be healthy just day to day, so when you throw in the holidays where there is extra goodies around, its still a big challenge for many of us. For a lot of people, they can have a treat per day and be fine, but most times one treat for me and many others leads to MANY treats, due to a bad relationship with food. Definitely still working on that. But I certainly induldge a few times throughout the holidays since anything pumpkin/gingerbread/xmas related is always 10000x more delicious than regular treats! Just learning how to balance that out with other really healthy days and of course running! Love your honesty!
Love this. Thank you for always being honest and speaking your mind 🙂
LOVE this post!!
THIS post just made me love you more! (I’ve never commented sorry!) I am SO sick of everyone bitching about the holidays and getting back on track, either eat or don’t….but don’t talk about it 24/7. Eat, drink and be Merry… gain a few lbs….ENJOY it.
I’m still laughing at the photo of you as a kid. SO cool. And I have honestly always envied your legs…they look pretty perfect to me with my ten inch long, ten inch wide ones! I think I even mentioned them in a blog post once – if that doesn’t sound too weird and stalkery.
I know that not everyone agrees with you on this topic but I think you are so open and honest and that is one of the reasons I click to your blog every day. I, however, DO agree 100% whole-heartedly with you. I go through the “my body will never be perfect” thing quite a bit.. and sure, there are always things to work on. But I went through the “ED” thing in college and that’s a place I never want to visit again. And, if you can’t enjoy what you love most with family and friends during the holidays than when IS it ever worth it? I don’t know, but I think this post was terrific and I think you are terrific and I’ll run the extra 10 minutes for the seemingly bazillion delicious chocolate chip cookies I ate tonight and love every step!
xo Marie
Chocolate & Wine
Holidays are meant to be fun, not a guilt trip (pre or post hol)!
Cute post lady. Anyways, I’m glad you’re going to party this holiday season. After the rest of the year AND after the marathon PR you deserve it. I plan to do the same.
So rock on, and for what it’s worth when I met you, I was surprised at how tiny you are! So nothing to sweat about any weight gain.
Love. Love. Love. I enjoyed every bite of the huge Thanksgiving Dinner I cooked myself…and enjoyed every bite of leftovers until they were gone. My workouts remain normal, and there is no guilt. I also have taken up eating a few Xmas cookies daily from the Whole Foods Holiday Cookie Bar, b/c they are delicious, I love them, and the Holiday Cookie Bar is only once a year! 🙂
I absolutely love this post. Ali, you are such an inspiration in every area of life, from battling Crohn’s Disease to eating too much at Thanksgiving. You give me confidence to feel comfortable in my own skin, because it is so obvious that you are comfortable in your skin, even with the flaws. I love this blog so much and I just wanted to let you know how much I’m inspired by you 🙂
You are so awesome. More people need your kick-ass attitude in general, but certainly about eating and how they talk about and feel about their bodies.
And people say some really dumb shit. You should’ve kicked him – and then asked if perhaps he meant donkey legs instead 😉
Legwarmers look great over skinny jeans… oh and you inspired me to wear legwarmers for this year’s Turkey Trot and I PR’d, so yeah, they work.
In celebration of this post I’m going to go have some more dark chocolate mint M+Ms.
wait, so this means it’s okay to have wine and cheese and ice cream on a daily basis? cuz I’m gonna do that all year round anyway. good. glad we’ve cleared that up.
<3
That guy is a total dick. The first thing I said to my friend (who also reads your blog) when you posted your marathon recap was how killer your legs are and how much I wish I had that kind of muscle. We aren’t always at our “best” (whatever that really means), but I don’t want to avoid living life to try to get there.
Just thought you should know there’s an internet full of people that think you’re awesome, regardless of the presence of 10-15 lbs.
Just wanted to say that you are AWESOME.
At first I had the same reaction about horse legs, but then I thought about it and horse legs are actually kind of tall and skinny right?! Also I hate those magazine articles that say to eat before the party; if I eat before, I still eat at the party too so it’s probably more calories than if I just showed up hungry! I just indulge in my fave things that are only at parties like artichoke dip or a yummy cocktail, skip things I don’t like and never look back! Also, I don’t really go to THAT many holiday parties so I don’t think it’s the end of the world. Thanks for the honest post!
Love this!! I hate, hate, hate the guilt talk that comes up this time of year. It is ridiculous. Why put chocolate and cheese and dip on the earth if we weren’t meant to enjoy them?
I learned awhile ago that tracking/limiting food just makes me obsessive. Eat in moderation, or don’t, for most of us it will even out in the end.
Amen Ali. There are so many more important things than a number on a scale. This holiday season, I’m finding myself saying yes to time with family, no to extra runs, and yes to just about any glass of wine that comes my way. It’s all about balance. Enjoy every minute of the holidays – we all have so much to be joyful about!
This is the best. And I’m desperate to try and create some kind of snide spin on the #elfforhealth kick that everyone’s on. Maybe #clausforcookies or #snowmanforstuffing. And seriously…”How to survive the holidays”??? It’s not the plague.
I agree on all points…good for you. And that office cake sounds perfect.
Active as you are, your body will find its comfortable place soon enough–although, seriously, I don’t see it. Is it 15 pounds up from having lost too much weight in the hospital?
If there is ONE THING THAT I HATE about this time of year, it is the guilt talk. The “how to make it through the holidays” talk. Good lord, it’s one month of occasional amazing food. Stay active, eat what is delicious, and enjoy the holiday season. There are way more important things to worry about than pie.
And you are a very cute kid.
You don’t see it because I haven’t posted photos that show it, honestly. I have plenty of photos where you’d see it, I just haven’t wanted to share them. A vanity thing for sure. But yeah, I hadn’t weighed myself regularly before getting sick/healthy again, so the benchmark I had for weight was when I was sick. Though I never lost that much weight—only five pounds. So I’m still up about 10 from where I should/would like to be. And even then it’s not the numbers on the scale that concern me, it’s the bursting button on my pants. Oh well. I tell myself it’ll pass and I’ll deal with it when the Christmas cookies are gone.
I hope you continue to feel comfortable in your skin, enjoy the holidays, stay healthy, etc. You looked 100% fantastic in your marathon photos, so maybe you can chalk several of the newer 10lbs to temporary holiday bloat and marathon muscles!
My cross country coach used to tell me that throughout the season, you go through high ups and low downs, and the only thing you can do is be patient and go with the flow. The downs will eventually lead you to where you want to be. I think you’re outlook is really great and so relatable to women. It’s tough when you’re used to feeling a certain way in a certain body, then suddenly it doesn’t feel like you anymore. Ride the waves and eventually you’ll be where you want to be – on your time. Hive five, sister!
I loved this post for so many reasons. Thank you for reminding us that we can, in fact, do whatever our heart, brain, or stomach desires, without the guilt.
Funny – just yesterday,I say to a work colleague, “ugh, I think I’m done eating Thanksgiving leftovers.” Then she responds, “don’t worry, it’ll all come off quickly.” Har?
That person saying you have horse legs (what even IS that??) reminds me of the time a salesgirl called me thick. It felt like being kicked, and it is something that always stuck with me. People can be insensitive and it’s hard to be on the receiving end of that. That said, it sucks being uncomfortable and I’m sure you’ll fall back into your comfort zone when the time is right (ie, not the most delicious food and family time of the year). Also, I need your opinion on something medically related. Gchat me? I don’t see you!
this post resonates with me beyond explanation. Thanks for being real. thanks for being honest. thanks for being you. See ya at the fondue pot!
You cannot even imagine the epic proportions of the virtual high-five I am giving you right now. For real, WELL SAID. I might go ahead and bookmark this post just because I love it so much.
I absolutely LOVE your attitude.
In a way I wish I could have the same but on the other hand I’m in full swing marathon mode running my first in Miami January and if I indulge I feel like crap when I run and that is more important to me at this time. But better believe I will be enjoying myself post marathon. I will have lots of holiday eating to make up for! Pool side in a bikini with a food baby. It will be a sexy look 🙂
That’s so exciting! I hope training is going great and, way in advance, GOOD LUCK in Miami!
And I say don’t indulge then! The whole point of this post wasn’t to say “YOU MUST EAT ALL THE CAKE,” it was just to say “if you eat all the sweets, it’s OK!”
Also congratulations in advance on your food baby.
AMAZING! Could not agree more 🙂
I loved this! You have such a great attitude.
Thank you for this honest post. Its hard to convey the truth about how a healthy minded woman can also struggle with food and eating, that not every struggle is falling off into a deep end of mania but it’s still very difficult and is desering of reflection. I am also very active and love working out. I also love eating too-and I really don’t believe in making yourself miserable to appease a fleeting moment of thinness ( we fluctuate every day, every age we are-you can’t hold on to your best body 365 days of the year for 80-90+ years!!!!) . This summer I lost ten pounds after coming out of a really stressful year and a half where exercise and cooking for myself were thrown aside for stress eating take out and forgetting that working out helps every aspect of my life. It was really hard to lose just because I had let myself get in pretty crappy shape and it was also hard to see how much I had started overeating. Now that its winter again I know a few..maybe 5? ( i don’t want to weigh myself much) of those pounds have come back and its scary to realize how quickly that can happen. It’s tough to constantly weigh ( no pun intended) a healthy mindset and a healthy workout mode and a healthy fridge. My friend and I often talk about how we don’t want to be fit by being angry at ourselves or loathing in some way, so if we can’t do the good for our body ( and vanity/figure ) thing out of love and happiness then we’ll skip it and have some cookies. I think it takes a lifetime to figure this out and whats right for you. I totally hear your dueling feelings of not being comfortable in your skin but also accepting your new most likely temporary winter shape and also loving what eating and freedom and enjoying yourself feels like too. they are both valid and valuable experiences. I also believe that if you are an athlete you must go through periods of intense laxity because if you are training hard for long periods of time, that constant effort is hard to keep up forever so you need to take equally long breaks to just rest your internal strength/drive.
lastly..my boyfriend likes to tell me I have ‘tree trunk legs’ or ‘goat herder legs’ i have no idea what these things mean but I don’t think giselle’s hubby tells her that so i guess its my wake up call that I don’t infact have long lean legs for miles…oh well there goes that fantasy. The first time he told me that I think all the blood drained from my face. Like your cyclist bf, mine is a muay thai fighter so in his mind having powerful grounded…tree like or goat herdsman (??) legs are an attribute and apparently enviable..he also once told me I was the ‘biggest girl’ he’s ever dated…at a size 6 ….boys are not very good at body image compliments. He thought that also was supposed to be good as most of his exes are all very bony and totally inactive. oh well. I’ve come to love my tree trunk legs and understand compliments are complimenting something real not imaginary and actually mean that all my athleticism is visible-which is good because thats what I do. Your horse legs look great in that dress and who are we kidding, horses have great legs! ( and I bet they can run a lot further than giselle 😉
Love this! Since finishing my last race of the season (almost 3 weeks ago) I’ve done nothing to workout. And I definitely enjoyed my Thanksgiving!
Also, I’ve had multiple men tell me that I have “big” legs before. It’s because I’m almost 6′ tall. They think they’re just commenting on how tall I am/long my legs are, so I’ve learned to laugh since I know that I am thin/have an athletes body. But it still does sting a little since “big” and “long” are NOT the same thing.
Cheers! And bring on the fondue!
My neck hurts from nodding yes, yes, yes.
What’s that other trendy phrase? YOLO. lol.
I love you for this post. All this talk about feeling “guilty” or eating “sinful” foods really doesn’t help anyone – when we categorize food using words like guilt, sin, bad, etc., we do ourselves a huge disservice and set up younger generations for food and body issues.
Amen Amen Amen!! Bring on the holiday treats with ZERO holiday guilt! Great post! 🙂
THANK YOU for posting this. I feel it isn’t okay anymore to eat something delicious without saying how guilty you feel and promising to get back on track immediately after.
This is my favorite post EVER!
I love this post! I was put on a steroid to get out of my recent flare. It resulted in my gaining 10-15 pounds and I feel awful! I’m working to get my normal face and figure back, but at the same time, if I want a cookie, I eat a cookie! These things are beyond our control and it’s all such a mental challenge! I love that you focus so much on yourself and never (or at least it seems) get weighed down. Your blog has helped me so much in proving to myself that bathroom trips can’t stop me! Thank you
“But who cares?! No big deal! I want moooreeeeee (cake)” [yes, thats right, as a redhead whose name also starts with an A, I feel genetically required to complete all Little Mermaid verses…]
I loved your version of this post last year and I like it again now. Holidays = indulge! I mean, really, Hanukkah = holiday celebrating the miracle of oil……
And for the record, my thoughts on your picture from that event were a) Pretty! b) holy heck amazing arms! c) rockstar. Just more proof that we’re all our worst critics.
Hi Ali! I love your blog and can totally relate to your post today! I’m not sure why, but sometimes I seem to lose motivation. I’m not sure if it’s because other areas of life (like work) require more energy and attention? But I think there is never a bad time for a brownie (or two)! 🙂 I’m sure you’ll get back into the swing of things soon! And I hope I do, too, because I don’t feel like buying new pants when they get tight! I’ll just run some more. 😉
I have been feeling the same way lately! And unfortunately, I can’t wear jeans to work so it’s been rough!
I could have written this post exactly, word for word. Except not the 5’5″ part, because I’m 5’2″ and you look way better in that dress than I would.
I’m pretty tired of the “get back on track” posts. I don’t need to hit the reset button, I need to just keep working out and if I want three or ten brownies then that’s what I will eat. I’ll leave the guilt for someone else.
THANK YOU for this post! i’m sick of feeling like i should be feeling guilty for loving food!
Oh man, I really should have read through what I just wrote. Sorry for the overuse of “honest” I wasn’t paying enough attention to my verbiage.
This post makes me appreciate you even more! Thank you for being honest and admitting how you feel about your body. I think body image is incredibly difficult to be honest about. No I don’t love my body shape right now, but I am not going to stop enjoying life by starving myself. Thanks for being honest and enjoy your holidays!!!
p.s. “Horse legs” that’s terrible! Well, my boyfriend did tell his coworkers I was “sturdy”.
This is a really fantastic post. I think that brownies are much healthier than juice cleanses 🙂
So impressed with your honesty! I think you have such a healthy attitude, Ali, that is just as motivating as ever!!
Horse legs?? what the hell are those?? have you seen how skinny horses legs actually are!! also, you should try skinny jeans, they look GREAT with legwarmers. I have some awkward alpaca ones from peru that I wear too much at home…and outside. I’ll send you a pic if you want cheering up. But you look awesome in the black dress. Also in reply to the comment the other day about your voice, you do NOT sound like a man!!
Refreshing 🙂
Love this post! I am with you on the skinny jeans. Can’t do it. Tried them, lots of brands, and they just don’t work for me. Oh well!
Just for you:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattbellassai/a-steamy-love-letter-to-cheese
Also, I love you and your “horse legs.” When I was in jr. high, the boy I had a crush on told me I had “man legs.” #thingsoneneverforgets
Amen! I LOVE the holiday season and all of the food that comes with it! There’s no holiday guilt going on for this girl, just lots of eating and boozing :P.
My parents always dressed me in the most ridiculous clothes when I was little. Apparently we looved turtlenecks!
you are awesome.
One of my favorite things about being invited to holiday parties is the prospect of readily available yummy treats! Most of the time I can be found next to the food table suggesting what others should taste.
And if there is fondue you better believe I’ll be dipping everything possible into it.
The tip of eating before you go to a party always cracks me up. That would cause me to gain more weight! I’m not going to skip the treats at the party and most often that not I don’t stop eating just because I’m a little full. I might take a little break, but I’ll be back for more.
Great post!
I’m sorry that you’re not feeling confident with your weight lately, as I’ve definitely been there and had to fight against it. I know that there are a lot of people “feeling guilty” or posting about “getting back on track”, but at the same time I think that’s okay too. I’m training for my first marathon in January (I live in FL so this is running season), so I have to say that for me, eating right right now is so important because I’m spending so much time training that it seems wasteful not to also spend time thinking about what I’m putting into my body. I’m doing a few challenges to “stay on track”, and I feel that they are balancing indulgence with moderation pretty well. I don’t feel guilty about anything that I put in my mouth, but at the same time they help me remember that I probably don’t need another cookie or another sweet treat just because I’m running 18 or 20 miles this weekend. I hope that you enjoy the holidays and the treats that come along with it! You will know when it’s time for you to think more about what you’re eating. Also, I’m sorry that you were offended when the person said you have horse legs. You very clearly don’t, and even if he meant it as a compliment, I can see how that would be offensive. You’re a wonderful writer, and I appreciate the way you conveyed your thoughts in this post; I hope that my differing opinion doesn’t come across as rude or negative. I just thought I’d share.
Not at all! This is a great comment, so thank you (and thank you for reading). I’m not saying people are WRONG for wanting to get back on track. Some people will enjoy the holidays more knowing they’re going into them feeling good about themselves. There’s no shame in that whatsoever. Power to them, even. But I know that for me, I can’t over-think it. I KNOW that once the holidays are over, life gets back into a routine, and that mentally works for me. I wrote this because I’ve done the “I’m going to get back on track” thing before, and it simply doesn’t work for me — which made me think it may not work for other people either. Either way, hopefully it’s a happy time for all!
I love everything about this post. Earlier in the week I found myself getting sucked into the “I must get back on track” mindset. Honestly, it’s just not a fun way to live for me. Yeah I’ll keep working out l through the holidays when I can, but missing a workout doesn’t mean I still can’t have pie for breakfast. Not that I would ever have pie for breakfast. 🙂
Meh, I’m not going to lie, this post left a bad taste in my mouth. I definitely agree with you that bloggers that write about POST HOLIDAY CLEANSE should just quit it. It is obnoxious, and there’s nothing wrong with a little indulgence on the holidays.
But then again…part of me thinks that if you hadn’t run everyday over Thanksgiving and most days on your vacation that you might be singing a different calorie-focused tune. Some people would rather go all-out with the laziness on holidays (no exercise, etc..) and then cut back a bit afterwards. All the same end game.
And that’s my real problem with the post–you seem to be deriding those who feel the exact same way you do (uncomfortable in their skin, etc.) and questioning their choices to try to cut back. It a) seems hypocritical and b) unnecessarily judge-y. No need to criticize others for their choices, just like they won’t criticize you for your choice to indulge.
Fair enough — and I’m glad we both agree that indulgence is a wonderful thing, especially now. The goal of the point wasn’t to criticize anyone for their choices — that wasn’t my intention. I mean yeah, I’m definitely tired of the articles about “smart party tricks to avoid eating an appetizer or two.” But I’m trying to make the point that these big holidays only come around one time every year, and whether we choose to eat a lot, eat a little or exercise more or less than usual, that’s not what the holidays are supposed to be about.
Truthfully, I probably WOULD work out more right now if I could. I’ll be absolutely honest about that. But I don’t have time and when it comes down to it, there are other things I need or want to be doing — and I’m not very motivated, despite the weight gain. I didn’t run every day I was home and definitely didn’t run much while I was on vacation.
Ultimately, to each his or her own. Yes, I can be judge-y. I’ll also admit that.
Thanks for your comment, Holly! It’s good to get varied opinions up in here.
HAHA, I just laughed out loud at our picture in the top banner!! I love that you love it as much as I do. The best part of that outfit is the smile, which I’m sure hasn’t changed much since second grade. Life is too short to not be happy, eat what you want and enjoy not only the holiday season but the whole year 🙂
Well said! Holidays only roll around once a year and if you can’t allow yourself to indulge now when can you?
And btw, guys can say the dumbest things! You just ran a sub-4 hour marathon on those so-called “horse legs” so you should be proud and you look great!
I LOVE THIS!!! 🙂
I totally agree. There’s way too much “I feel gross” in the blog world at the moment and the holidays just started! Stay positive people!! Your post is great…and no, you most certainly do NOT have horse legs! wtf was that guy thinking?!
Thank you for this post! I agree with everything you say!
I also am not at exactly the weight I want to be but that does not mean I should not take full advantage of the holiday treats coming up. I am starting to realize there is nothing wrong with my body not looking it’s absolute best, whether temporarily or long term, it can still look damn good and life can be so much more enjoyable if I’m not hung up over my weight. Sometimes it seems as though it’s blasphemous for a woman to not be focused on wanting a perfect body or to even eat all food groups. and not eliminate some to be paleo, vegan, gluten-free, etc. But it’s crazy to get sucked into these thoughts because there is so much more to life and there is nothing inherently wrong with indulging, you can still do so and be perfectly healthy, look amazing, and most importantly be happy.
And if you’re any indication of what indulging looks like, you definitely prove my point because you look fantastic!
And this is why I read your blog!
to quote one of my students “preach”. Balance is awesome and so is nutella mousse concoctions, really anything with nutella. thank you for posting this, i was getting sick of feeling guilty, and the handful of nuts tip too (only if dipped in aforementioned nutella please).
“I don’t understand (or, honestly, trust) people who can buy a big cookie or ice cream sundae and not demolish the entire thing”
I read this and thought “ohmygod she’s in my head!” Its this reason that I have to go to froyo places and get a serving (which is usually the biggest serving known to man) rather than keep a gallon of ice cream in the house. With the froyo, once its gone its gone– a gallon just keeps calling you back to the freezer!
Hope you have a chocolatey holiday season! 🙂
hahaha i love you! we’d be besties if you lived in the DC area. My kind of girl.
I love it. Perfect outlook!
This is precisely why I look forward to your blog posts! Thanks for being honest and real, and funny to boot! See you over by the fondue 🙂
That bow is pretty epic. And so are you, Ms. Ali! You are hardcore strong and admired by many. ENJOY your holidays!
I really love how honest you are. So many other people would rather blog about disordered eating or feeling guilty about indulging. But you endorse fondue eating. I love it!!! Such a great post!
I love this post! Girl you look great!
AMEN!
The same thing recently happened to me.. I gained some weight regardless of working out all the time and being healthy. I sadly realized that my body is changing with age (I am also 27). Guess this is getting older? Remember in college when cheese fries was a stable of a diet and didn’t make you gain any weight 🙁
Lady magazines are STUPID for just these reasons. Why I quit reading them years ago. Have fun, eat what you want, keep the exercise schedule you can…January will roll around soon enough.
Can’t tell you how much I appreciate this post!! I’ve totally been feeling the same way lately! In the past couple days I’ve gotten a handful of discounts on various cleanses, and for the first time ever I found myself considering it……I quickly came to my senses, remembered that’s not at all “my thing”, then baked a few dozen cookies 🙂
I’ve always believed in my body’s ability to make up for my eating mistakes and balance itself.
If I overdo it during the holidays (which I will), I can virtually guarantee that I’ll come back to my pre-holiday weight in the first few weeks of January without trying too hard.
I’ve never ascribed to the idea that once you gain a few pounds that they’re stuck until you burn the requisite number of calories to get rid of them. Instead, I think we all have a set point, and you’ll go up, down and all around your set point, but won’t stray too far just because of a few parties during the holidays.
Amen to this. I needed to hear this so bad! I was at the beach this weekend with my in-laws and other family and I am the biggest woman on that side of the family (they are all skinny skinny and I’m “strong”). I’ve noticed that I ate more than any of them at every meal and I was feeling sad and guilty. Thanks for this – I have a feeling I will come back and read this post very often! Happy Holidays!
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. Seeing all the “detox after the holidays” posts were starting to make me ragey. I like enjoying myself during the holidays without feeling guilty about enjoying myself. I don’t need to detox after the holidays; I’ll eventually get back to my regular eating habits which will put everything back in balance the way it always does.
I am totally with you on the guilt free holidays…I run my same amount and it is my favorite time of year to eat!
Couldn’t agree more the holidays are about fun and food and enjoying every second!
Brownies were put on earth to be eaten and stretch pants were put on earth to be worn by those who love brownies.
Enjoy your holiday season!
So many wonderful things about this post!! My favorite though (besides now having The Little Mermaid song stuck in my head now) was the “cake eating pants” which immediately made me think of Friends and the Thanksgiving episode where Joey takes Phoebe’s maternity pants “No, these are my thanksgiving pants!” haha
Now…off to eat more dairy free treats 🙂 haha See you soon!!!
That episode is one of my favorites! (Although I’m not sure I can really say that…they’re all my favorites.) 🙂
Ali, your attitude here is awesome. I am totally with you – I’ve never been able to subscribe to the mindset of “well, I ate an extra cookie, so that’s an extra 10 minutes on the elliptical” (during the holidays or otherwise). All things in moderation, including moderation. 🙂
Agree 100 %! Thank God life isn’t all about being the skinniest person you can be. Oh, and “horse legs” sound like something my father would say as an compliment- it’s kind of funny, but I see your pain on the picture).
That dude must not have a sister, wife, or daughter? How did he not realize that was not going to be taken kindly? Some dude at the gym asked me how I got my ‘huge quads’ one day while I was on the stairmill… I felt like falling off of it and dying (dramatic, yes?) Anyway, my husband was like, “Take that as a compliment!!” I said no way.. and he explained that guys just cannot articulate themselves very well.
Haha. As soon as he realized I was offended, he felt SO badly. And tried to take the little foot out of his mouth. And I obviously know he didn’t mean to insult me—he’s actually a cyclist so in his mind big legs are an asset. I was just a little fragile to begin with, so his “compliment” didn’t go over so well.
We just don’t think the way they do. Maybe “you have horse legs, Ali!” was the nicest thing he ever said to a girl, and Ali didn’t even noticed 😉
I was at the lake with a male friend who hadn’t seen me in a year. He told me I looked “bigger” and that it was awesome that I was putting on muscle. I took it as pure compliment! Why am I lifting weights if not to put on muscle? Being “toned” is a myth for women who life neon plastic weights. I’ll just go squat my body weight and accept praise for what it is!
Thank you thank you thank you! This is such a good outlook to have. I’m sick of feeling like I should feel bad for indulging around the holidays!
I. Love. This. Entry. I want to print it out and share it and keep it but I feel like that would be creepy.
I’ve been dealing with GI issues for the past couple years and have had a flare recently and (this might also be creepy), I think about you sometimes and am like “If she can do it, so I can I. Look how well she just goes on with her life and deals with it.. Be more like her.”
So thanks.
So sorry you’ve been feeling awful lately, Susanna 🙁 And sometimes I don’t just go about my life! When I’m having flare-ups, my life sometimes comes to a halt…or a run to the bathroom. Don’t feel like you always have to power through! Take good care of yourself and have a wonderful holiday season! I hear brownies are good for the immune system. Hehe.
Amen to that! This Polish girl doesn’t know the meaning of the word moderation when it comes to food (or drink, for that matter). Enjoy the holidays!
There are definitely photos of me in a nearly identical vest/matching bow outfit when I was a kid! I love your guilt-free outlook on the holidays. 🙂