It’s official…we’re in the holiday season!
Thanksgiving is tomorrow and that can only mean…
Turkey, football, pumpkin pie, and taking a nap.
While these are synonymous with the holidays, so is this:
Gaining 7 pounds.
Yep - most people gain the weight of a newborn over the next few weeks.
To be fair, this time of year is hard. Like really hard.
There’s the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years), all the parties in between, wine, cookies, pies, and candy.
Then add in travel and time with family.
Oh…and how could I leave out the stress.
Put these all together, and you’ve gained the easiest 7lbs of your life.
I know you don’t want that - no one does - but it then begs the question…
“How can I enjoy the holidays and stay on track?”
It’s a hard question because it feels like you only have two choices:
Give up your routine until the beginning of next year
Or to be that person who’s not eating
Both options aren’t good.
That’s why I want to share 8 things you can do to avoid holiday weight this year.
So you can have a Happy AND Healthy Holidays.
8 Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
1) The Difference Between “The Day” and “The Season”
I want to start with a tip that’s more of an overview for the holidays as a whole.
And I just technically broke that rule…don’t tell my boss 😆
But the truth is, one day - The Thursday of Thanksgiving, for example - doesn’t derail your progress.
It’s when you let that day turn into 2 days, then turn into a week, and eventually turn into the whole holiday season.
Instead, let yourself enjoy the individual day and then get back to your normal routine the following day.
This will let you indulge on the big 3-4 days and stick to your plan for the other 4-5 weeks.
2) What’s Your Minimum?
What’s the least you could do in a day to still feel like it was a healthy day?
Take a walk
Drink a smoothie
Do a strength training workout
Whatever it is…that’s your minimum.
Set whatever your minimum is and make sure to check it off your list tomorrow and on Christmas.
3) Don’t Skip Meals
Have you ever skipped breakfast and maybe lunch to “save calories”?
In theory, it sounds good. But in real life, it doesn’t work that way.
What ends up happening is it makes for crazy ups and downs with your blood sugar, you have way more cravings, and end up eating more.
Instead, eat a breakfast and lunch with protein and you’ll end up in a better place even after indulging for dinner.
If figuring out what to eat this time of year feels overwhelming…
You’re not alone.
This is the exact place most women get derailed — not because you’re undisciplined or lack the willpower, but because the holidays require you to make 100 more food decisions than normal.
And when you’re already stressed, tired, and around family…the plan usually goes out the window.
If you want more structure (so you don’t have to think about meals), I put together a 21-Day Holiday Weight-Loss Plan that tells you exactly what to buy, cook, and eat.
✔️ No guessing
✔️ No stressing
✔️ Just follow it and you’ll stay on track — even with parties, travel, and extra desserts
And this is exactly why I created the 21-Day Holiday Program — so you don’t have to rely on willpower alone this season.
If you want the details, you can look at the program here
Now back to the tips…
4) The 3×3 Rule
The 3×3 rule is, you divide your plate into thirds…
On the first third, you put your protein.
On the second third, you add your veggies/starches.
And on the last third, you add whatever fun holiday foods you want.
This will make you less likely to overeat and have more cravings later on.
5) Wait 20-Minutes For Seconds
After you finish your first plate from the 3×3 rule, that’s when the 20-minute clock starts.
What’s the clock for you ask?
Your body doesn’t recognize it’s full until 20-minutes after you’ve eaten.
Competitive eaters use this to their advantage to shove as much food as they can in under this time.
For you, it’s the opposite. Using your biology to your advantage to figure out if you’re actually hungry for something.
Or if it’s just a craving.
When 20-minutes is up, if you still want that slice of pumpkin pie, go for it!
But chances are…you won’t 😉
6) Choose Your “Hell Yes” Foods
When you think of Thanksgiving, what are the 2-3 foods you’re looking forward to the most?
Those are your “Hell Yes” foods.
Anything outside of those, if you like but don’t love them, skip them.
It’s not worth wasting precious stomach space and calories on a food that’s ok just because it’s there.
Give yourself permission to eat the foods you love, with intention.
7) Move Intentionally (Don’t Punish)
Raise your hand if you’ve ever told yourself, “I overate yesterday so I’m going to work it off today.”
My hand is all the way up.
The days following the holidays, move intentionally. Pick ways to be active that you enjoy:
Hopping on your bike
Getting in a strength training workout
That’s what Follow-Along Friday is for!
Going for a hike to a trail you’ve never been
Whatever it is, enjoy it.
Punishing yourself by being stuck to the treadmill for 2 hours the following day is silly.
One, because it’s physiologically impossible to undo what you’ve already eaten.
And two, because you deserve to be kinder to yourself.
Enjoy your indulgence, give yourself grace, and reward yourself with activity that makes you feel better.
8) How To Deal With Leftovers
We talked about preventing the one day from bleeding into days (plural).
Having leftovers can make this tricky so here are a few tips:
If you hosted, give the majority of the leftovers to those who came over
If you didn’t host but have leftovers, freeze and portion them for later.
This way you can still enjoy some leftovers without totally derailing your routine.
There you are…those are the 8 steps how you’re going to stay in shape over the holidays.
Here’s where this gets tricky. You could read this and feel great about what you’re going to do to stay healthy.
Only to have the plan go out the window when tomorrow (and Christmas) roll around.
To be fair, this isn’t just something you have to worry about.
All women do.
And that’s why most end up:
Struggle to button their jeans after gaining 7lbs
Hate how they look in their family’s holiday photos
Unable to lose weight after crashing their metabolism
Feel like they have an insatiable sweet tooth
Not because of a lack of willpower…
But because the holidays are chaotic and most women don’t have a simple plan that actually works.
That’s why, starting on Monday December 1, I’m running a 21-Day Holiday Program for Women 40+ only.
The goal is to help you lose 5lbs WHILE indulging during the holidays.
Here’s what you’ll get to help you do that:
An exact meal plan of what to buy, cook, and eat
3 weekly strength training videos you can do at-home
Daily emails + short videos with mindset and actionable habits
Lifetime access so you can come back to this every holidays
You deserve a holiday season you don’t have to recover from — and this is the simplest way to make that happen.
I’m really excited about this program. If you are too, today’s the last day for early-bird pricing.
After today, the program goes to $149 but as a thank you for being here, you can sign up today for $49.
I hope you have the most Happy Thanksgiving!
Your friend and coach,
Ben
P.S. If you’re on the fence, reply and tell me what you’re nervous about — I’ll help you decide if it’s a good fit (no pressure).
