The holidays can make us do strange things…
We buy fluffy pajamas for the entire family and force everyone into a photo shoot.
We spend $30 on gift bags, tissue paper, and ribbon that will be shredded by our friend or family in seconds.
We make elaborate holiday plans, then spend the entire time wishing we could just sit on the couch.
We hide Christmas presents so well that we can’t find them ourselves.
And let’s be honest. The holidays can make us do some pretty strange things when it comes to our health too.
We start worrying about Thanksgiving dinner in October. We stress over Christmas parties, family gatherings, holiday baking, and all the extra food that seems to show up everywhere.
And we convince ourselves that if we can’t do it perfectly, there’s no point in trying at all.
We freak out. Then, we throw in the towel.
It’s a mess. Messier than making Christmas cookies with a 3 year old.
Health + the holidays seems to be the equation that equals total panic.
But in reality…
The holidays just aren’t that big of a deal.
Let me explain. Below, I’ll show you why your panic over the holidays is bonkers and how you can stick with your goals as easy as pumpkin pie!
The Dirty Room Analogy
There once was a little girl who struggled to keep her room clean.
She wasn’t a lazy girl. She wasn’t rebellious. She worked hard at school. She completed her other chores, and was generally a responsible kid.
But her room was becoming a disaster.
The bed looked like it had been hit by a tornado. The dresser and nightstand were covered in clothes, papers, and snack wrappers. The carpet was barely visible under a mountain of toys and trinkets.
It had gotten so messy that the girl could hardly use her own room.
She no longer could find her favorite books or treasured toys. When friends came over, there was nowhere for them to sit and play.
Eventually, her friends started asking if they could play somewhere else.
The girl was embarrassed.
One day, her mother decided it was time to understand why keeping her room clean had become such a struggle.
“My girl, I love how reliable you are. When you have a job to do, you just get it done!
But something about your room seems to be giving you trouble. What’s keeping you from taking care of the one space in the house that’s yours?”
The little girl looked at her mother, then blurted out:
“Those three toys in the corner are so heavy. I hate putting them away! And because I can’t put those three toys away, I might as well not clean anything.”
Her mother was surprised.
There were nearly 300 other things the little girl could put away. But she was so focused on the three toys she couldn’t lift that she’d given up on the entire room.
The little girl sighed.
“What’s the point? Every time I think about cleaning my room, I just think about those three heavy toys. I know I can’t put them away, so I’ve decided I might as well not bother.”
Her mother thought for a moment.
If a few heavy toys were the only thing standing between her daughter and a clean, usable room, she knew exactly what to do.
“My dear,” she said, “those three toys look rather lovely sitting on your rug. What a thoughtful way you’ve arranged them.”
The little girl looked at her mother curiously.
“What do you think about leaving them just as they are?”
The little girl paused.
“You mean, I don’t have to put them away?”
“I think they can stay out as long as you like. And if you decide you want to put them away someday, I’ll help you.”
The little girl immediately looked relieved.
For the first time, she stopped staring at the heavy toys in the corner and looked around the rest of her room.
“If I clean up all these little things, I can play in my room again!”
And she got to work.
Her mother smiled, happy to see her daughter enjoying her room again.
“Let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll call your friends over,” she said.
Your “Heavy” Holidays
As we approach the holidays on our health journeys, we’re really not that different from the little girl.
We look at the weeks ahead and think:
The holidays are going to be too hard. I won’t be able to stick to my goals. I’ll never do this perfectly. So I might as well give up until January.
We become so focused on the few days that feel difficult that we forget about all the other days.
In reality, the holidays make up a surprisingly small percentage of the year.
So, just like the little girl’s mother, I want to ask you,
“What if you left those days just as they are?”
No elaborate strategies. No calorie counting. No stressing over every meal.
Just let the holidays be holidays. Enjoy Thanksgiving dinner. Eat the Christmas cookies you and your daughter made together. Go back for seconds at the holiday party if you want it.
Take those few days off the table as something you need to control.
Build Your Healthy Lifestyle. We’ll Help with the Holidays, Too!
Now, with that pressure gone, how do you feel about the other days? The ordinary ones where you’re working, making breakfast, packing lunches, and going about your usual routine.
Ready to tidy those up so you can feel good again?
That’s where I want you to put your energy.
Instead of spending the next six weeks worrying about a handful of holiday meals, let’s focus on building a lifestyle that supports your health all year long.
That’s what we teach in LEAN.
We help you create healthy habits that fit into your actual life. The kind of habits you can maintain when work gets busy, the kids need you, schedules change, and even when the holidays roll around.
And don’t worry. You don’t have to do any of this on your own.
If you want a little extra help navigating the holiday season, I’ve got some great resources for you.
Want to make the holidays a little easier?
If you’d rather spend less time figuring out what to cook and more time enjoying the season, you’ll love my November Meal Prep Playbook. It’s packed with delicious seasonal recipes to help nourish you.
Want to keep working toward your macro goals?
Some years, we feel energized to stick with our goals, even on Thanksgiving Day. You don’t have to sacrifice holiday flavor to do that. Here are a few of my favorite holiday recipes:
- Herb-roasted turkey breast
- Maple-roasted squash salad
- Macro-friendly mashed potatoes
- Christmas pudding protein balls
- Hydrating holiday mocktails
Want to enjoy the whole feast?
Do it! Eat the cookies. Fill up at the big family dinner. Have the cocktail.
You don’t need to earn those things or feel guilty about enjoying them.
Want to enjoy the feast without feeling like you need a there-hour nap afterward? Grab my free Blood Sugar Solution. You’ll learn a few simple tricks to help keep your blood sugar happier while you enjoy all your holiday favorites.
The resources are here if you want them. But remember, you don’t need to do anything special to survive the holidays. You just need a healthy lifestyle that gives you the space to enjoy them.
Stop Letting The Holidays Hold You Back from Health
The holidays are probably not going to be your best days, healthwise. No biggie. Your lifestyle on the other days will dictate your health, your weight, and how you feel.
In LEAN, we teach you how to create a foundation, a lifestyle of health, so that holidays can’t wreck it.
We teach you the strategies you can stand on, so that if you hop off occasionally, your health and body won’t suffer.
We teach you the why behind every strategy and its compounding benefits for your health.
So, stop stressing about the holidays. Enjoy them! And build your life on healthy habits that last.
