When is your peak season? Are you in it? Or are you feeling the aftermath? Mid January is often a demanding time for our friends in schools: end of a semester, exams, new semester beginning…
To cope, we just learned of a helpful point of view from Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers, Judith Wurtman, PhD and Nina Frusztajer, M.D..
They call lapses in healthy eating, “Overeating Flare-ups,” or that which happens as a result of hectic times, travel, injury, emotional distress, and so on. The society MO is to call ourselves lazy or weak for getting off track. Our friends at MIT say, quit that! Let’s be realistic and learn from the flare-up, then move on — put an end to all that brow-beating.
We don’t blame ourselves for a skin, asthma or allergy flare-up. We wouldn’t judge a flare-up of any other condition for that matter. But, have an extra serving of dessert and the sky is falling; never mind the hearty road blocks or difficult circumstances we might be facing.
Remember that we are confronted with 200 food choices a day (Mindless Eating – Cornell Food and Brand Lab). And honestly, how many of those choices are easy, healthy choices? Overeating flare-ups are fully endorsed by our environment, like a pusher ready to pounce. Even in my favorite health food store the impulse items at the checkout counter, though organic, are still candy and chips.
On a vibrant day I can stay the course and budget for these treats or dismiss them, putting a “poison bubble” around any excess not worthy of my current health goal. When deadlines loom, someone I love is sick or hurt, or the house seems to be falling apart (or all of the above), get out of my way as I careen toward the chocolate display!
Life throws us loops that will predictably cause us to veer from our most healthy dreams, says Wurtman. The good news is that we have two great resources for such flare-ups:
- Forgiveness and the resolve to know that tomorrow is another day; we will not give up on ourselves but rather jump back on the horse.
- Loved ones who can support our efforts, helping us move back toward our exciting, healthy plan for living our best life.
So take to the time to grow from your flare-ups and be reasonable. You are enough and, if you’re on a healthy path, you’re getting stronger each day, even in the peak season.
After all, “You are you. Now isn’t that pleasant?” – Dr. Seuss
For You and Your Workplace
During peak times at your workplace, take extra care to fuel people with healthy snacks – whole grain snack bites, fresh fruits, veggie trays and other high fiber, complex carbs says Wurtman. Complex carbs around the 3-5 pm hour can help pick up people’s stressed mentality by adding mood enhancing seratonin. Be sure to also get people out of their grind for a walk, stretch or movement break of any sort. When people have exercised (even for a little bit) and feel satiated, they will be able to fully access their most valuable skills and talents. That’s vibrant productivity.
Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start a new on your PATH Ahead!