Staying Healthy (and Sane) Through the Holidays

Now, for those of you that subscribe to our newsletter, this message is going to be repetitive because it was covered in my newsletter last week.

But the message is important enough to repeat here.

The holidays are supposed to feel fun and full of joy, but for a lot of people they come with a level of stress that hits harder than we expect.

Schedules get busier, routines get interrupted, family dynamics get complicated, and nutrition suddenly feels like a balancing act between enjoyment and guilt. And beneath all of that, your body is responding to stress in very real, physiological ways.

When stress ramps up, your nervous system shifts into more of a sympathetic state, the “fight or flight” response.

Cortisol rises. Heart rate increases. Sleep quality dips. Cravings can swing in either direction. Motivation to move changes. And the body becomes a little less efficient at digestion, recovery, and energy regulation.

None of this means you’re doing anything wrong. It simply means your system is under more demand.

One of the biggest stressors this time of year is food, the pressure to “stay on track,” the guilt around enjoying holiday meals, and the worry that a few days of different eating will undo your progress.

But here’s the thing: it won’t.

Holiday meals are part of life. Sharing food with people you care about is part of life. Enjoying seasonal foods is part of life. Stressing over them does far more harm than the foods themselves.

Instead of viewing holiday meals as something you need to compensate for or restrict, try reframing them as something to be present for. A normal plate of holiday food, or a few desserts you look forward to every year, is not a setback.

What makes a bigger difference is your overall pattern, and the stress you carry while eating plays a real role in digestion, fullness cues, and how your body processes food. Removing guilt is not just better mentally, it’s better physiologically.

What you can focus on is adding things that support your body during a busy season, not restricting things you enjoy. That’s why our challenge this month emphasizes habits that reduce stress and build resilience. Staying hydrated, eating protein consistently, prioritizing sleep, using breathwork and practicing mindfulness, these habits don’t take away from the holiday experience. They make it easier to feel grounded within it. They’re small things you can control even when everything else feels a little chaotic.

Movement is another tool you can lean on. And it doesn’t have to look like your perfect workout.

This time of year can make routines feel nearly impossible to maintain, but the goal isn’t perfection, it’s consistency and sustainability.

Even short workouts count. Even a walk counts. Any intentional movement gives your body a physical and emotional reset. It lowers stress hormones, improves mood, boosts energy, and helps regulate blood sugar, which can feel especially helpful around big meals and irregular eating schedules.

If you have 45 minutes, great. If you have 20, that’s still a win. If all you can manage is a walk between commitments, that absolutely counts.

Movement doesn’t need to be all-or-nothing. In fact, during the holidays, chasing “all” tends to lead to “nothing.” Doing something, even something small, keeps momentum going and lowers stress rather than adding to it.

The holidays are full of meaning, memories, and connection. They’re also full of unpredictability. But you can navigate them without guilt, without the pressure to be perfect, and without abandoning the habits that make you feel your best.

Enjoy the meals. Enjoy the desserts. Enjoy the people you’re with. Add in the things that support your body. Move in whatever way fits your day. And remember that consistency over the long run matters far more than the handful of days where life looks different.

If you want help staying grounded this month or building a plan that works through the busyness, we’re here. You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through the holidays, you just need a few simple tools that keep you feeling like yourself. Let’s finish the year strong, present, and a little less stressed.