The holiday season is filled with joy, family, and food—lots of food. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s, delicious dishes and desserts seem to appear everywhere you turn. But here’s the truth: this isn’t the best time to try losing weight. In fact, research shows that most people gain five to seven pounds during the holidays, and much of that weight tends to stick around long-term.
So instead of focusing on weight loss, I’m inviting you to join me in a different kind of challenge—the Holiday Maintenance Challenge.
The Holiday Maintenance Challenge
Here’s how it works:
- Step on the scale this week and note your current weight.
- From now until January 2, your only goal is to maintain that number.
No extreme diets. No deprivation. No guilt. Just balance, awareness, and intention.
As a weight loss coach and culinary dietitian with more than 20 years of experience helping people reach their goals, I teach that maintenance during the holidays is not only realistic—it’s *powerful.* It means you can enjoy your favorite foods while staying grounded and confident in your body.
Here’s how to do it—science-backed, realistic, and completely guilt-free.
1. Shift Your Mindset: Aim for Maintenance, Not Perfection
Between November and January, there are roughly 90 days—but only about 10 to 15 are true celebration days. That means the other 75 to 80 are your regular days. If you stay consistent with balanced eating, hydration, and movement on those days, the celebrations won’t derail you. Maintenance isn’t failure. It’s a success. If you start and end the season at the same weight, you’ve achieved what most people can’t.
2. Don’t Skip Meals Before a Big Event
It might sound logical to save calories for a big dinner, but skipping meals only sets you up to overeat later. When you arrive hungry, your appetite hormones surge—especially ghrelin, the hunger hormone—and it becomes much harder to control portions. Eat a normal breakfast, have a light lunch, and include a protein-rich snack before the event. Try Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a small smoothie with protein powder and fruit.
3. Fill Half Your Plate With Vegetables
Vegetables are high in fiber and water, which helps you feel full without adding excess calories. Whether it’s roasted Brussels sprouts, a crisp salad, or grilled veggies, filling half your plate with produce supports digestion and helps prevent overeating later in the meal.
4. Use the Plate Method for Balanced Portions
Forget calorie counting during the holidays. Use a simple visual guide:
- ½ plate of vegetables
- ¼ plate lean protein (turkey, chicken, fish)
- ¼ plate starch or grain (mashed potatoes, rice, stuffing)
Then, if dessert calls your name, enjoy it—mindfully. One slice is enough to satisfy both your taste buds and your soul. You can always put some in a box for leftovers so that you can enjoy it more than once!
5. Practice Mindful Eating
Mindful eating isn’t a diet trick—it’s a way to reconnect with your food and your body. Slow down. Taste the flavors. Notice the aromas. Between bites, put your fork down and join the conversation. Studies show that mindful eating helps reduce calorie intake naturally, because you tune into your hunger and fullness cues instead of eating on autopilot.
6. Move Your Body—Joyfully
Movement doesn’t have to mean the gym. Take a family walk after dinner, dance at your holiday party, or play with your kids. Even 20–30 minutes of light activity aids digestion, reduces stress, and keeps your metabolism active.
7. Be Smart With Drinks
Liquid calories can sneak up quickly—especially from eggnog, sweet cocktails, and punch. Pick one or two beverages you truly love and savor them. The rest of the time, choose water, sparkling water, or unsweetened tea.
8. Check in Weekly, Not Obsessively
Weigh yourself once or twice a week for awareness, not judgment. Small fluctuations are normal. What matters is staying mindful. If the scale creeps up, make small adjustments instead of waiting until January to face the surprise.
9. When You Overdo It, Bounce Back—Don’t Punish Yourself
Overeating happens—and that’s okay. The worst thing you can do is overcorrect with fasting, detoxes, or extreme workouts. Instead, return to your normal routine. Eat balanced meals, hydrate, move your body, and rest. Remember, one day won’t ruin your progress—guilt will. Maintenance is about resilience, not perfection.
And if you’re wondering what to do the day after a big meal, stay tuned—my next post will show you exactly what to eat to reset your body and energy.
The Holiday Maintenance Challenge Recap
Let’s make this season different.
- Step on the scale this week.
- Write down your number.
- From now until January 2, focus on maintaining—not losing.
Enjoy your traditions. Eat with awareness. Move your body with joy.
And when you step on that scale after the holidays and see the same number—celebrate!
While most people gain 5 to 7 pounds, you’ll have maintained your weight, your health, and your peace of mind.
References
- Yanovski, J. A., Yanovski, S. Z., Sovik, K. N., Nguyen, T. T., O’Neil, P. M., & Sebring, N. G. (2000). A prospective study of holiday weight gain. The New England Journal of Medicine, 342(12), 861‑867. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM200003233421206
- Helander, E. E., Wansink, B., & Chieh, A. (2016). Weight gain over the holidays in three countries. The New England Journal of Medicine, 375(12), 1200‑1202. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1602012
- Tan, Y., et al. (2023). Weekly, seasonal, and festive period weight gain among Australian adults. JAMA Network Open, 6(8), e2807660. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2807660
- Bertz, F., et al. (2019). Daily self‑weighing to prevent holiday‑associated weight gain in adults: A randomized pilot study. Obesity, 27(2), 220‑227. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31119881/
- Schoeller, D. A. (2016). Effect of the holiday season on weight gain: A narrative review. Public Health Nutrition, 19(2), 226‑231. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5514330/
