The Truth About Skipping Workouts & Holiday Indulgence

Can we chat about food guilt for a minute?

Am I the only one who is annoyed by the constant clamor surrounding the holidays and weight gain?

The truth is, as a runner and health-conscious person, my weight matters to me year-round. I’m not obsessed with my weight the way I was in my youth, but I do know that I feel my best and run my best when my weight is where it should be and I’m not eating potato chips straight from the bag on a daily basis.

I don’t obsess about the scale, but I do notice when my clothes no longer fit comfortably. I also notice when I hold on too tightly to the ideals I set up for myself in regard to eating, working out and reaching my running goals.

I care about the quality of the food I eat and how it fuels my body, but when I decide to go for a second slice of pecan pie on Christmas Day or skip a workout in lieu of attending a holiday party, I have zero guilt.

The truth of the matter is, I am a runner with very specific goals. I will eat more food than normal during the holidays. I will probably skip more workouts than normal. And I will probably gain a few pounds—but I don’t care. When the holiday season is over, I’ll get back to my normal routine and with time those extra holiday pounds will melt away.

Letting go of trying to do and be everything is hard in all aspects of my life, but this holiday season I’m letting go of the guilt of having another glass of eggnog.

I’m embracing the season, eating healthy foods when I’m not at a holiday party and already looking ahead to crushing my goals in 2017.

*A version of this post first appeared on Women’s Running.