How to Navigate the Holidays Without Gaining Weight (Or Losing Your Mind)
It's that time of year again—the holiday season is right around the corner. And if you're like most women trying to lose weight, you're probably feeling a mix of excitement and dread.
On one hand, you love the holidays. The gatherings, the traditions, the time with family and friends. But on the other hand? You're worried. Worried about gaining weight. Worried about losing the progress you've made. Worried about starting over AGAIN in January.
I get it. I've been there.
The period between Halloween and New Year's can feel like one giant minefield when you're trying to stay on track. There are parties, treats at work, family dinners, cocktails with friends—and it seems like everywhere you turn, someone's offering you food or drink.
You might be thinking you only have two options:
Option 1: Stick to a strict plan, say no to everything, and feel deprived and miserable while everyone else is having fun.
Option 2: Say "screw it, it's the holidays," go off the rails completely, and deal with the consequences in January.
But here's what I want you to know: There's a third option.
You can actually enjoy the holidays—treats, drinks, celebrations and all—WITHOUT gaining 15 pounds. You can participate in the fun without waking up January 1st feeling bloated, sluggish, and like you have to start over from scratch.
It's not about being perfect. It's about being strategic.
Here's how to navigate the holiday season without sabotaging yourself—or missing out on the fun.
1. Look at Your Calendar (It's Not Actually Two Months of Parties)
First things first: grab your calendar and actually look at how many special events you have between now and New Year's.
I'm willing to bet it's not as many as you think.
Maybe you have:
Thanksgiving dinner
A couple of work parties
A friend's holiday get-together
Christmas Eve/Christmas Day
New Year's Eve
That's probably 5-7 days. Out of 60+ days.
The other 50+ days? Those are just regular days. Days where you can make your normal, supportive choices.
The mistake most women make: They write off the ENTIRE two months. They think "well, it's the holidays" and use that as an excuse every single day from Halloween to New Year's.
The smarter approach: Identify the ACTUAL special days and plan for those. On all the other days? Business as usual.
2. Don't Go to Parties Hungry (Seriously, Don't)
I know what you're thinking: "If I eat light all day, I'll have more room for the party food. I'll save my calories."
Stop. This is a trap.
When you show up to a party starving, here's what happens:
Everything looks amazing
You have zero willpower
You eat way more than you would have if you'd just eaten normally
You feel out of control
You end up eating things you don't even really want
Better strategy: Eat a normal, satisfying meal before you go. Protein, fat, fiber—your usual PFF meal.
When you show up well-fed, you're in control. You can be CHOOSY. You can look at the dessert table and think "okay, which ONE of these actually looks amazing?" instead of eating six kind of “meh” things because you're starving.
This isn't about deprivation. It's about being intentional.
3. Set Your Boundaries Before You Go
Before you walk into that party or family dinner, decide what your plan is.
Not in a rigid, restrictive way. In an empowering, "I'm in control of my choices" way.
Examples of helpful boundaries:
"I'll have two drinks and skip dessert" OR "I'll have dessert and skip the drinks"
"I'll fill my plate with protein and veggies first, then add a small portion of my favorite side"
"I'll have one plate of food, not three"
"I'll say yes to Grandma's famous pie and no to the store-bought cookies"
The key: Decide BEFORE you're in the situation. When you're standing at the buffet table with a plate in your hand is NOT the time to be making these decisions.
Use if/then statements: "If I want to have cocktails, then I'll skip the bread and dessert." "If I want to try Aunt Linda's famous stuffing, then I'll have smaller portions of everything else."
This isn't about rules. It's about knowing what you want and making choices that align with how you want to FEEL the next day.
4. Prioritize Sleep (Yes, Even During the Holidays)
I know, I know. Your schedule is crazy right now. Late nights, early mornings, kids' events, work parties, shopping, wrapping, cooking—it's a LOT.
But here's the truth: When you're exhausted, everything is harder.
When you're sleep-deprived:
Your hunger hormones go haywire
You crave sugar and carbs more
You have less willpower to make good choices
You feel more stressed
You're more likely to emotionally eat
You don't have to be perfect. But aim for 7-8 hours most nights. Go to bed earlier when you can. Say no to things that aren't worth losing sleep over.
Because when you're well-rested, making healthy choices doesn't feel like such a struggle.
5. Manage Your Stress (Because the Holidays Are Stressful)
Let's be real: the holidays can be stressful AF.
Family drama. Financial pressure. Packed schedules. Trying to make everything "perfect."
And when you're stressed? You're way more likely to reach for food to cope.
Find your stress management tools:
Take a walk
Do some deep breathing
Take a bath
Chat with a friend
Say no to things that don't matter
Lower your expectations (nothing has to be perfect)
Give yourself permission to decompress. Even just 10-15 minutes a day can make a huge difference in how you feel and how you show up.
6. Don't Skip the Protein
When you're at holiday meals, it's easy to fill up on all the carb-heavy sides and skip the protein.
Don't do this.
Protein is what keeps you full. Protein is what stabilizes your blood sugar. Protein is what prevents you from being ravenously hungry an hour later.
At every meal or party: Make sure you get a good serving of protein FIRST. Then add the sides and treats.
Turkey, ham, prime rib, shrimp cocktail, deviled eggs—whatever the protein option is, start there.
This one simple thing will prevent you from overeating everything else.
7. Anticipate the Obstacles
Think ahead about what might trip you up:
Obstacle: Your coworker brings homemade treats to the office every day.
Plan: Decide ahead of time which days (if any) you'll indulge, and which days you'll politely pass.
Obstacle: Your workout routine goes out the window.
Plan: Commit to movement in other ways—walks with family, playing with kids, parking farther away when shopping.
Obstacle: Uncle Bob comments on what you're eating (or not eating).
Plan: Have a response ready: "I'm good, thanks!" or "I'm pacing myself so I have room for dessert later."
When you have a plan, you're not caught off guard.
8. Let Go of the Guilt
If you overdo it at a party or eat something you "weren't supposed to," DO NOT spiral into guilt and regret.
Guilt doesn't help. Beating yourself up doesn't help. In fact, it usually makes things WORSE because then you want to numb out with more food to make yourself feel better.
What to do instead:
Forgive yourself
Learn from it (what triggered it? what would you do differently next time?)
Get right back to your normal eating at the next meal
One meal—or even one day—is not going to ruin your progress. But giving up for the rest of the season WILL.
9. Ditch the All-or-Nothing Thinking
You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to follow all the rules all the time.
Perfection is not the goal. Consistency is.
One indulgent meal won't derail you. But the "eff-it" mentality—where you think "well, I already messed up at lunch so I might as well eat whatever I want for the rest of the day"—THAT'S what derails you.
Remember: You can get right back on track at your very next meal. You don't have to wait until tomorrow or Monday or January 1st.
One meal is just one meal. Move on.
10. Make Time for YOU
I know you're busy. I know you have a million things to do. I know you barely have a second to yourself.
But taking care of YOU is not optional.
Even just 10-15 minutes a day:
Go for a walk
Take a bath
Read a book
Sit in your car in silence
When you take time for yourself, you have more capacity to handle all the holiday chaos without turning to food for comfort.
11. Just Say No (Thank You)
You don't have to say yes to every invitation, every event, every request.
You're allowed to protect your time and energy.
It's okay to skip the party that doesn't matter to you. It's okay to say no to volunteering for one more thing. It's okay to simplify.
Focus on what truly matters to you and politely decline the rest.
12. Keep Moving
Your regular workout routine might be out the window right now. And that's okay.
But you can still move your body:
Take walks with family or friends
Have a dance party in your living room
Park farther away when shopping
Play actively with your kids
Do a 15-minute YouTube workout
Movement helps you manage stress, boosts your mood, and keeps you feeling good in your body.
It doesn't have to be a formal workout. Just MOVE.
13. Remember: It's Not Just About the Food
The holidays are about SO much more than eating and drinking.
They're about:
Time with people you love
Traditions and memories
Decorating and celebrating
Rest and joy
Don't let food become the only focus.
Engage in the non-food parts of the season. Those are the things you'll actually remember.
14. Shift Your Mindset
Instead of using "YOLO" or "it's the holidays" as an excuse to go off the rails, ask yourself:
"How do I want to FEEL?"
Do you want to wake up January 1st feeling bloated, sluggish, and like you have to start over?
Or do you want to wake up feeling proud of how you showed up, knowing you enjoyed the season WITHOUT sabotaging yourself?
You can enjoy the holidays AND feel good. Those things aren't mutually exclusive.
15. Choose "Worth It" Treats
You don't have to say yes to every treat that comes your way.
Be selective.
Grandma's homemade pumpkin pie that she only makes once a year? WORTH IT.
The mediocre store-bought cookies in the break room? Probably not worth it.
Allow yourself to enjoy the special treats without guilt. But pass on the ones that aren't that special.
This isn't deprivation. This is being intentional about what's actually worth it to YOU.
16. Dealing with "Food Pushers"
We all have that person—Aunt Nancy, Grandma, your well-meaning coworker—who insists you HAVE to eat what they made.
Be polite but firm.
Try this: "Thank you, that looks amazing! I'm so full right now, but I'd love to take some home if that's okay."
OR: "I'm pacing myself so I have room for [other thing] later."
OR: "I'm good right now, thank you!"
You don't owe anyone an explanation. A simple "no thank you" is enough.
The Bottom Line
The holiday season comes around every year. If you want sustainable weight loss, you need to learn how to navigate it WITHOUT writing off two months or feeling deprived.
This season doesn't have to be a choice between deprivation and self-sabotage. There's a middle ground.
You can:
Enjoy your favorite treats
Participate in celebrations
Spend time with loved ones
Make memories
AND
Stay on track with your goals
Feel good in your body
Wake up January 1st proud of how you showed up
Not have to start over from scratch
It's not about perfection. It's about making choices that align with how you want to feel.
You've got the power. You've got the tools. Now go enjoy the season—without the guilt, the regret, or having to dig yourself out of a hole in January (again!).
You've got this. 💛