No matter what holiday you’re celebrating, there’s no doubt that there’s a fair number of festive treats involved. If you’ve been trying to lose weight or get healthy, those tables filled with treats are probably more temptation than you’ve allowed yourself to face in a long while. Trying to restrict over the holidays is stressful, but lucky for you we have a list of reasons why you shouldn’t restrict!

Restricting During the Holidays Is Unrealistic

Anybody who has ever tried and failed at a diet can likely tell you that unrealistic expectations had a significant role to play in their failure. If you know, you’ll be at family dinners and holiday parties, don’t hold the hope to stick to your diet. Instead, make the healthiest choices you can from what’s on the table. Indulge in the holiday foods, but don’t eat them in excess. Allow yourself to eat a treat here and there because staring your favorite holiday dessert in the face without taking a bite is an unrealistic expectation to hold.

Holidays Aren’t a Time for Weightless

Even personal trainers and dieticians don’t try to help their clients lose weight over the holidays. Instead, they remind them that maintenance is a reasonable goal to place on themselves. It takes an additional 3,500 calories to gain a single pound. That’s a lot of food! That means that even if you indulge in the holiday treat you’ve been eyeing, you won’t wake up the next day 20 pounds heavier. You can’t always aim to lose weight, and that’s okay! If you make it through the holidays without gaining weight, consider it a success.

Food is Social

During the holiday’s food plays a significant role in our social interactions and traditions. By restricting your treats over the holidays, you may decide it’s easier just not to enjoy the festivities at all. Weight loss should never interfere with your social life and ability to have fun, so let yourself go and enjoy the treat! If you’re worried that you’ll overindulge, it’s a good idea to create a plan for yourself before making your plate. Determine what your healthiest options on the table are and then decide what treatment you’re going to have, no matter how unhealthy it may be. If you create a realistic plan and stick to it, you’ll be able to leave feeling accomplished without feeling like you missed out on the holiday festivities.