DEHAY: The Thankful Reset: Supporting Healthy Habits This Holiday Season

By Savanna DeHay

Intro

Holidays tend to burst with junk food, overeating, and bad habits. Recovering from unwanted weight gain, muscle loss, and the digestive issues that follow can be tough, but we don’t need to cast our health to the side just because it’s “that time of the year” again. Maintaining key healthy habits allows us to enjoy time with family and friends without starting the year trying to undo the last three months.

Prioritize Protein, Minimize Carbs and Sugar

Holiday foods are bursting with nostalgia but lacking in protein. Sweet treats, breads, and casseroles taste great briefly, but skipping quality protein leads to overeating, weight gain, muscle loss, and nutrient deficiencies. Most people need 1-1.2g of protein per lb of body weight (those 50+ need even more), and at least 30g of protein per meal to trigger muscle protein synthesis. This is easy to achieve if we know the best foods to eat:

Load up holiday plates with healthy proteins first – it’s one of the best things that we can do to stay healthy! Meat is a nutritional powerhouse because it is abundant in vitamins and minerals, supports lean muscle mass, and boosts metabolism.

The second-best thing we can do is limit processed carbs and sugar. I know, it’s hard to say “no” when a relative hands you a nostalgic treat, but if they truly care about us, they’ll support healthy choices. And, traditional favorites like cookies, cakes, and candies can be made healthy. Yes, dessert can actually be a health food when made with nutrient-dense, natural ingredients. It’s not the butter, eggs, dairy, or red meat that makes these meals unhealthy. It’s the processed sugar and grains. That tiny cookie packs enough sugar to skyrocket insulin, leading to fat gain, poor sleep, skin issues, low energy, and other metabolic issues.

Part of what makes the holidays so special is the nostalgia and traditions. It’s not necessarily about the food itself, but the memories we associate with it. We can make healthy versions of our childhood favorites with simple tweaks – like baking cookies with the little ones or helping parents with the casseroles:

• Swap sugar for raw honey, maple syrup, dates, allulose, monk fruit, or stevia
• Swap wheat flour for almond or coconut flour
• Swap sugary chocolate for sugar-free or date-sweetened chocolate
• Boost recipes with quality protein powder or extra meat
• Load plates with extra meat to balance sauces in pasta dishes
• Wrap fillings in thinly sliced deli meat or egg white wraps instead of tortillas

Here are a few ancestrally appropriate versions of classic holiday foods:

• Quiche
• Waffles (these require beef protein powder for the texture – but they taste just like the name brand stuff!)
• Pumpkin Pie
• Christmas Crack (careful – this one is addictive!)

Exercise

With so many shared meals and holiday movies, it is easy to forget to move. After dinner, we plop on the couch, four hours later, we’ve sunk lower into the cushions. Getting in simple movements – like a post-meal walk – boosts metabolism and reduces fat storage.

According to Healthline, “[w]alking for 10 to 30 minutes after meals may help manage blood sugar levels, improve digestion, and reduce […] bloating and gas,” (Preiato, RD). It may also reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation, promote weight loss, regulate blood pressure, and improve mental health.

Don’t forget strength training, too. Lifting weights three or more times a week builds muscle mass, which is the best way to boost metabolism and improve body composition. You don’t need to lift heavy – just enough to mildly strain the muscles so they grow stronger.

Gratitude

Setting aside some time to be thankful for what we have is one of the healthiest things we can do. Mental health is the foundation of physical health, yet is often neglected during the holidays. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) states that 24% of Americans feel depressed during the winter, and 64% of people with preexisting mental health conditions note that the holidays worsen their illness (“New APA Healthy…”).

Surrounding ourselves with loved ones brings peace and joy, which naturally lowers cortisol. High cortisol is the enemy of our well-being – it drives inflammation, disrupts sleep, and hinders weight loss. According to the NIH, chronically elevated cortisol can cause hypertension, increased risk of stroke, diabetes, chronic pain, fatigue, and inflammation (“Cortisol level dysregulation…”).

Start by spending five minutes by the fireplace or walking in the snow, giving thanks for:

• God’s gift of another day
• Good health
• Family and friends
• Food, water, and shelter
• All the other blessings in life!

Conclusion

The holidays don’t require us to indulge our every craving, but they also shouldn’t cause us stress, either. Sticking to key healthy habits keeps you grounded. Enjoy that cookie if you want (just don’t eat the whole batch)!

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Sources

• “Cortisol level dysregulation and its prevalence – Is it nature’s alarm clock?” NIH, 19 December 2020, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7749606/. Accessed 24 October 2026.
• Evgenyatameneko, “Grandfather Hugging Grandchildren on Sofa.” iStock Photos, 17 October 2020, https://media.istockphoto.com/id/1279995342/photo/grandfather-hugging-grandchildren-on-sofa.jpg. Accessed 7 July 2026.
• Jason Rosell Celebrity Lifestyle & Wellness Coach. “30g of Protein Cheat Sheet.” 11 March 2026, https://www.facebook.com/jasonrosellLIVE/posts/30-grams-of-protein-cheat-sheet-/1471660207655259/. Accessed 7 July 2026.
• Krampf, Maya. “Keto Pumpkin Pie (Sugar Free).” Wholesome Yum, 29 October 2025, https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/easy-keto-low-carb-pumpkin-pie-recipe/. Accessed 12 July 2026.
• Lina. “Make Keto Christmas ‘Crack’ Toffee This Holiday Season!” Hip2Keto, 6 December 2022, https://hip2keto.com/recipes/keto-christmas-crack/. Accessed 14 July 2026.

About Savanna DeHay

Savanna DeHay graduated from North Idaho College in 2022, and currently lives in North Idaho. She writes about health, current events, and other important issues.

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