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Holiday Eating Doesn’t Make or Break Your Fitness (Your Baseline Does)

10k steps alcohol and performance fat loss and alcohol fitness through the holidays holiday strategy how much protein for weight loss how to not gain weight during winter how to stay on track during holidays longevity metabolism myths mindful eating performance training why protein matters Nov 25, 2025

Every year from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, people spiral over the same fear:
“I ate too much… did I ruin my progress?” or “I have three holiday parties this week… I'm doomed!”

Truth: a giant meal... or even a few days of big meals... does NOT make or break your fitness, your physique, or your health. It never has and never will.

If a long weekend of eating hits you so hard that your weight, energy, or confidence feels destroyed… that’s not a holiday problem. That’s a baseline problem.

A healthy, well trained body can handle fluctuations. A few feasts aren’t going to undo an entire year of work. But consistently poor habits disguised as “holiday mode”… that will.

Below is the honest breakdown of what actually affects your body this season and what you can do to stay on track without dieting, micromanaging, or punishing yourself.

The Food Isn’t the Issue… The Pattern Is

It’s not the mashed potatoes, the stuffing, or the Christmas cookies that derail people.

It’s when “holiday eating” becomes a new normal for six straight weeks.

Here’s what actually tanks your health and performance:

  • Holiday style eating every day, not just the holiday itself

  • Daily movement dropping drastically

  • Consistently poor sleep hygiene: no bedtime routine, no morning light to set your circadian rhythm, disrupted sleep due to heavy meals or alcohol beforehand

  • Alcohol creep: the celebratory drinks becomes nightly drinks

  • Crappy training: low energy, poor recovery, feeling sluggish, losing momentum, and then skipping workouts because everything feels hard

Those are the real culprits. Not one humungous dinner on Thanksgiving Day.

Your metabolism isn’t fragile.
Your progress isn’t fragile.

Your habits might be. And this is the season when that becomes painfully obvious.

 
 
 
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What Actually Matters Over the Holidays

This season isn’t about perfection, it’s about stability. The goal is to keep your baseline habits consistent enough that a couple big meals don’t even cause a blip.

Here are the actions that make the biggest difference:

1. Hold Your Baseline, Not Perfection

Trying to be “perfect” during the holidays is unrealistic. Trying to hold your normal routine is not.

Simple targets to maintain:

  • Eat 80% of your normal, usual meals

  • Prioritize protein (aim for 30g+ per meal)

  • Drink water like an adult (yes, be a grown up)

Stability > restriction.

2. Move Your Body Every Day

Your body does not care that it’s December… it needs movement.

You don’t need intense workouts. You need consistency.

  • Aim for 8,000+ steps

  • Get 3-4 strength training sessions per week

  • Add small “movement snacks” during the day if life is chaotic

Movement is the most underrated tool for improving energy, digestion, mood, and recovery during the holidays.

3. Protect Your Sleep (Seriously)

Poor sleep triggers:

  • Increased hunger and cravings

  • Poor decision making

  • Low motivation

  • Sluggish training

  • Higher inflammation

Holiday chaos makes this worse, so control what you can:

  • Get 10 minutes of sunlight within an hour or so of waking up

  • Build the simplest wind down routine possible (stretching, reading, breathwork, etc.)

  • Limit screens 60 minutes before bed

If you only change one thing this season, fix your sleep.

4. Know the Difference Between a Treat and a Pattern

A treat is intentional.
A pattern is unconscious.

Ask yourself:
“Is this a choice… or am I slipping into holiday autopilot?”

Awareness is everything.

5. Be Very Choosey with your Alcohol Intake

Alcohol isn’t evil, but frequent alcohol is a performance killer.

It highly disrupts sleep, increases inflammation, derails recovery, and tanks training quality.

Guidelines that keep you sane and still social:

  • 2-3 drinks per week (this is honestly on the higher end and will still have its impact)

  • Hydrate with water/electrolytes between drinks and/or before and afterward

  • Avoid drinking the night before big training sessions (you should know your training schedule in advance)

One night of drinks is fine. Habitual drinks are not if you want to stay on your game.

6. If You Fall Off… Just Get Back On

No punishment. No detox. No “I’ll start over January 1st.”

Just return to your usual habits the next day.

This single skill is the difference between people who maintain their fitness year round… and people who yo-yo every holiday season.

Your Holiday Strategy Moving Forward

These next six weeks can either be your downfall… or they can be your stability phase.

Instead of thinking,
“How do I avoid messing everything up?”

Try:
“What 2-3 behaviors actually keep me feeling good right now?” and DO THOSE consistently. 

Pick a handful from this list to focus on:

  • 8K+ steps

  • 30g+ protein per meal

  • 3-4 weekly lifts

  • Morning light

  • Wind down routine

  • Minimal alcohol

Do these most days, and you’ll wake up in January feeling strong, capable, and ready—not starting over from zero.

This is exactly what I’m doing too. And it works.

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