I’ve always loved the magic of this season filled with twinkle lights, Christmas music, and family recipes. But as adults, it can bring stress, sugar comas, and stretchy pants.
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to choose between joy and celebration or health and wellbeing. A series of small shifts can add up to massive changes. And if you start before January, you also increase your chances of hitting your New Year’s health goals by 67%!
I’m going to share five of my favorite shifts and swaps to help you stay festive, balanced, energized, and truly present through the holidays and beyond.
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Get Off the Blood Sugar Rollercoaster
Festive Flop: Reaching for sugary treats—cookies, fudge, eggnog, and peppermint mochas—to “get in the spirit” sets your mood, cravings, and blood sugar on a wild ride.
Simple Swap: Choose natural sweetness with fiber and antioxidants. Indulgence is part of the fun, but frequent glucose spikes will leave you tired, irritable, and craving more.
Pro Tip
Blood sugar balance is key to stable energy, mood, and hormone health. Every time you blunt a glucose spike, you’re reducing systemic inflammation and supporting metabolic resilience, which means you can actually enjoy your holidays and eliminate cravings, fatigue, and weight gain.
- Order matters. Eat protein and fiber first to release satiety hormones and stabilize glucose. Afterward, walk or dance for 20 minutes after meals to pull glucose straight into your muscles or have apple cider vinegar in water to blunt a blood sugar spike by 40%.
- Roasted apples or pears with Ceylon cinnamon for a sweet treat that’s high in fiber and polyphenols while supporting gut health and blood sugar.
- Homemade hot cocoa made with unsweetened cacao, a touch of liquid allulose or real maple, and almond milk has less sugar and more magnesium to support calm nerves and sleep. There are also some great single-serving low-calorie hot chocolate electrolyte packets for adrenal support with a satisfying sweet and salty kick.
Choose Seasonal Serenity
Festive Flop: Letting the holidays turn into a jam-packed calendar of social obligations and stress eating.
Simple Swap: Create mini moments of “non-sleep restorative activities” that regulate your nervous system and support your adrenals.
Pro Tip
Before each meal, pause for three deep breaths and a prayer of gratitude. It shifts you into parasympathetic “rest and digest” mode, improving nutrient absorption and reducing bloating.
Try this:
- Wind-down ritual. Read, take an Epsom salt bath, or spend five minutes in deep breathing.
- Say “no” gracefully. Setting boundaries and protecting your energy is self-care.
- Non-sleep restorative activity. This can be as simple as sipping tea from your favorite mug next to a fireplace or a window with a peaceful view.
- Eat mindfully. Turn off screens, sit down at a table, and actually taste your food. Pick one meal to eat intentionally and be sure to chew thoroughly to an applesauce-like consistency.
Add Whole Foods & Phytonutrients
Festive Flop: Skimping all day, gorging at parties, and relying on boxed, canned, or processed foods.
Simple Swap: Celebrate colorful, seasonal produce. Eating a rainbow of whole foods makes our food more visually appealing while feeding the healthy gut bacteria that balance hormones, satiety, and inflammation.
Pro Tip
Pumpkin contains soluble fiber that feeds beneficial bacteria, supports detox pathways, and promotes stable blood sugar. It pairs well with gut healing, anti-microbial, antioxidant spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves!
Try this:
- A savory breakfast. Frontload protein at the start of the day and the meal. Think eggs with spinach and avocado, or a breakfast hash with ground turkey, sage, sweet potato, and kale.
- Add fiber & bitters. Dandelion greens in a salad with apple cider vinegar and olive oil before a heavy meal stimulates bile flow and liver detoxification—exactly what your body needs to process richer foods and those glasses of wine.
- Balance your plate. Fill half the space with non-starchy veggies, ¼ with protein, and ¼ with a root vegetable or grain.
Keep Hydrated & Moving
Festive Flop: Between late nights, heavy meals, and a packed schedule, hydration and movement are often the first to go.
Simple Swap: Start your day with a large glass of water with a pinch of salt or electrolytes, then go for a morning walk.
Pro Tip
If you’re drinking alcohol, alternate with a glass of sparkling water with lemon or pomegranate seeds to stay festive and hydrated. Double down on cruciferous veggies from the crudités platter to give your liver some extra love.
Try this:
- Natural red-light therapy. Morning walks have been shown to promote weight loss and reset your circadian rhythm, leading to better sleep that night.
- Move after meals. Take a 20-minute walk to enjoy holiday lights or do 100 air squats after meals to lower blood sugar, aid digestion, and reduce post-meal fatigue.
- Think cellular hydration. Electrolytes and minerals help water move where it’s needed most, and gentle movement keeps your lymphatic system flowing.
“Good Enough” Beats “All or Nothing”
Festive Flop: Falling into the trap of perfection—strict clean eating followed by completely going off the rails—or throwing healthy habits out the window until January.
Simple Swap: Embrace flexibility and consistency over perfection. Missing a workout or having dessert isn’t failure; it’s part of a healthy, balanced life.
Pro Tip
Your body experiences swings between restriction and indulgence as stress. Focus on rhythm over rigidity. Your mitochondria, microbiome, and mood all thrive when they can count on steady nourishment, gentle movement, and consistent rest. Remember: consistency creates safety, and safety creates healing.
Try this:
- Batch cook. Prep some healthy foods in advance, like extra roasted veggies or grilled protein, so you can easily throw together a quick salad, bowl, or wrap.
- Choose what’s worth it. If your sister’s mint brownies are legendary, skip the store-bought cookies.
“Move when you can” mindset. Invite the family to stroll the neighborhood, looking at Christmas lights after dinner, or have a spontaneous dance party in the kitchen.