The one superpower I’d love to have during the holidays

The holidays: It’s the time of year when your abilities to stave off those sweets and say “no” are put to the test. It’s the time of year when some of the BEST food, BEST snacks, and BEST desserts are brought in for staff parties (and don’t get me started on homemade delicacies! Oh, those talented family members!).

It’s also the end of the calendar year, so you subliminally start to measure your eating performance. Did I eat too much junk? Did I gain/lose/maintain that weight I was hoping? Am I setting a good example for patients?

What if none of that mattered? What if–and humor me a minute here–the calories within every sweet treat in the break room didn’t matter?

What if you could eat to your heart’s (and gut’s) content at work without the guilt of packing on the pounds? A superpower sent as a little “thank you” from the karma police for all the hard work we do to take care of people all year round.

Yeah, like I said, humor me here. I’m daring to dream about the nurse’s ultimate holiday “treat”!

Here’s what I’d do…

I would eat every piece of cheesecake I could get my hands on, especially the ones with homemade crust (my great grandma’s is still the best). I would eat every Christmas cookie that crossed my path. I would surround myself with miles of pumpkin roll (without any nuts, please). Oh, and I’d be eating anything that had chocolate in it.

Now, in this fantasy world, those extra calories still have to go somewhere. I’m a nurse after all — biology is biology. My solution: Calories could be “worn” like removable tattoos. At the end of the day, I would simply peel and remove.

My belly is grumbling just thinking about all that darn food.

The truth of the matter is, I have a horrific sweet tooth (we’re jumping back to reality now). No, I don’t live in misery over what I can’t eat, but I do have to exercise a bit of control (okay, a lot). I guess this is my way of poking fun at the idea that even I have to pay attention to what I eat–especially around the holidays!

Eating right can be fun and easy, and heck yeah you still can eat sugary treats. But, unlike the fantasy world I spoke of, there are definitely more permanent consequences to our real-life eating actions.

What do you think? What superpower would you love to have over the holidays?

For more Healthy Eating pick up the latest issue of Scrubs magazine, available at a retail store near you!