How to Stay on Track Through the Holidays
The Thanksgiving table has a certain magic to it.
The smells hit you first - roasted turkey, buttery rolls, mashed potatoes whipped to perfection, and a bubbling tray of mac and cheese that steals the spotlight every year. There’s laughter from the kitchen, a chorus of “just five more minutes,” and at least one argument about football.
And somewhere between your second plate and the post-dinner nap, a familiar thought slips in:
“I’ll get back on track after the holidays.”
That single line has derailed more progress than any slice of pie ever could.
We tell ourselves that November and December are a lost cause. That we might as well enjoy it now and start fresh in January. But if you zoom out, Thanksgiving is one day. Christmas is one day. Even if you include every party, potluck, and cookie exchange, that’s maybe a handful of indulgent meals scattered across two months.
That’s not a lost season. It’s a few moments in an otherwise normal routine.
And those regular days between events - the weekday lunches, the simple breakfasts, the weeknight dinners - are what really determine your direction.
You don’t have to skip the good stuff to stay on track. You just need to approach the season with a little more strategy and a lot less guilt.
Here’s how to do it.
1. Keep going instead of starting over
The “all or nothing” mindset turns one meal into a meltdown.
You eat a big Thanksgiving dinner, feel “off track”, and convince yourself the whole week is ruined or that you might as well have a couple more cookies after dinner. Then the weekend becomes a free-for-all, and by Monday you’re searching for the next plan to reset.
Progress doesn’t come from perfectly executed weeks. It comes from persistence through imperfect ones.
If you eat more than usual, the solution isn’t punishment or panic. It’s simply getting back to your normal rhythm. Hydrate, hit your protein and fiber targets, move your body, and try to get a decent night of sleep. One big meal never erased months of consistency - giving up afterward does.
2. Use events as anchors, not disruptions
The holidays come with a built-in rhythm: travel days, family dinners, office parties, nights out. You can’t always control when they happen, but you can plan the rest of your week around them.
If you know you’ve got a big meal coming up, don’t skip food all day to save calories. That usually leads to overeating and discomfort. Instead, eat lighter meals with plenty of protein and fiber earlier in the day. You’ll arrive satisfied, not starving - which paves the path for more mindful eating during the event.
3. Zoom out and look at the average
Weight gain during the holidays rarely happens because of a few big meals. It happens because those meals blend into a month-long free-for-all.
Even if you eat above maintenance a few times, your weekly or monthly average matters more. Think of it like a bank account - a few larger withdrawals won’t break the budget if the rest of the transactions are steady.
You don’t have to track perfectly to understand the principle. A few days of indulgence balanced by mostly consistent choices equals stability. The body responds to patterns, not isolated moments.
4. Keep a few non-negotiables in place
The holidays are a terrible time to aim for perfection, but an ideal time to protect a few key habits.
Choose two or three simple ones that you can easily commit to wherever you are during the holiday season.
A few examples:
Get at least 7,000 steps per day
Include a source of protein at every meal
Lift weights twice a week
Hit a fiber target each day
Go for a 5-10 minute walk
Keep bedtime consistent
This is obviously not an exhaustive list, but the idea is to pick actions you can easily stick to no matter what’s going on around you. This might look like a much more parsed down version of what your typical routine looks like, but that’s fine.
5. Eat the foods you enjoy and be present at the dinner table
Holiday meals aren’t the enemy. In fact, they’re often really, really tasty.
Instead of approaching the dinner table with apprehension, guilt, and stress, keep the following in mind:
Start with what you actually want.
If mac and cheese is your favorite, start there. Build the rest of your plate around it - some turkey for protein, a vegetable side for balance, a roll if you’ve got room. There’s no rule that says you have to eat salad first.
Eat slower than usual.
This sounds simple, because it is. Chew slowly and twice as much as you normally do. Set your fork down in between bites. Have a sip of water. Slow down and really enjoy the meal. This boosts your satiety so you’ll subconsciously eat less.
Let go of food guilt.
There’s no moral scorecard for your dinner plate. Guilt doesn’t make the calories disappear - it just adds stress to what should be a joyful moment.
6. Have a plan for leftovers
If you love leftovers, keep a few favorites for the next day and incorporate them into your lunches and dinners. Turkey sandwiches or wraps, leftover mashed potatoes with dinner, casseroles added to your workday lunches.
But, if the leftovers start feeling like a trap, freeze them or send them home with family.
Being intentional here prevents the three-day Thanksgiving marathon that leaves most people stuffed, tired, and frustrated.
7. Focus on memories over math
In five years, you won’t remember how many calories you ate at Thanksgiving dinner. You’ll remember laughing with your family, passing plates across the table, and seeing grandpa fall asleep in the recliner when he needs to “rest his eyes”.
The holidays are meant to be lived.
A few indulgent meals won’t derail your progress, but a cycle of guilt, restriction, and frustration can.
8. Carry momentum forward
When January arrives, most people are scrambling to undo the so-called damage from the last two months. The truth is, you can skip that part entirely.
If you focus on maintaining reasonable habits through the holidays - movement, hydration, protein, mindfulness - you’ll roll into the new year already in stride.
The holidays don’t need to be something you survive. They’re a chance to practice balance in real life.
Have the mac and cheese. Enjoy the mashed potatoes. Savor the pumpkin pie. Then wake up the next day, take a walk, drink some water, and get right back into your normal rhythm.
Progress isn’t lost because of a few joyful meals. It’s built through everything you do around them.
