5 Weight-Loss Hacks That Won’t Ruin Christmas

This is the busiest time of year for most women, and it’s rarely framed as the ideal moment to focus on weight loss. Between Christmas parties, family gatherings, travel days, and long-standing holiday traditions, nearly every social event revolves around food that’s nostalgic, indulgent, and hard to resist.

It’s also the season when weight gain is normalized. Between November and January, the average American gains 5-7 pounds. So if you decide to stay mindful of your health during Christmas, you may hear that you’re being unrealistic or “taking it too seriously.” But that reaction usually comes from a misunderstanding of how sustainable weight loss actually works.

Between November and January, the average American gains 5-7 pounds.

You don’t have to swear off your favorite holiday foods or skip social gatherings to make progress. Weight loss isn’t about deprivation; it’s about moderation, consistency, and prioritizing a high-protein, nutrient-dense diet most of the time. There’s still room for the peppermint latte. There’s still room for pumpkin pie. What matters is the pattern, not the perfection.

After nearly a decade working in the health and fitness space, I’ve seen this play out again and again. The women who succeed long-term are not the ones who put their lives on hold until January. They’re the ones who learn how to adapt their habits to real life—during holidays, during travel, during stressful seasons—because life is never going to slow down on command.

Waiting for the “perfect” time to start is usually just another way of postponing progress.

The good news is that you can enjoy the magic of the season and stay aligned with your goals. Here are five realistic tips to help you do both.

Frontload Protein before Social Gatherings

You know you're headed to a party with booze, various kinds of creamy chip dips, and endless cookies. They may have some finger foods like pigs in a blanket and deviled eggs, but you already know this isn't the place where you're going to get a balanced meal. Social gatherings like this can actually be the very reason why so many people throw in the towel and refuse to stick to their weight-loss goals during this time of year. They think it's pointless to even try and successfully tackle these parties. But you've got nothing to worry about.

Eat as much protein as you can early on in the day so you don't have to worry about finding lean sources of protein to eat at the party. I have some clients who are so serious about their goals that they'll eat nothing but protein until they get to the party (i.e. protein shake for breakfast, shredded chicken for lunch, beef jerky for a snack before the party). So when they arrive, they don't feel guilty or even concerned about the fact that they're going to be eating more carbs and fats than usual.

I also highly recommend never going to a party hungry. Always eat something about an hour before you head over, because you want to feel satisfied but not full, content but not hungry. This will help you make better choices with what you're eating at the party, as you won't be blinded by your hunger. If you're someone who easily overeats at parties, make it a point to distract yourself with the guests and really spend some time getting to know others. In other words, be more interested in people than in the food around you.

There's certainly room to enjoy the seasonal desserts and dishes while sticking to your weight-loss routine. Just practice portion control. Accept one piece of pie, not three. Say yes to one cookie, not four. Track everything you eat and keep an eye on your macros (you can use an online macro calculator to figure out how much you need to be eating every day). There is room to enjoy yourself in moderation.

Get 10,000 Steps a Day

If you're traveling for the holidays, it can be difficult to maintain your workout routine if you're exercising regularly. However, one thing you can do no matter where you are is walk, and walking is a wonderful task for beginners to focus on. 10,000 steps a day has been proven to improve your overall health and stave off diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, etc., and it's also a great way to stimulate your digestion, distract you from snacking mindlessly, and spend meaningful time with family in a way that doesn't involve screens. Get your loved ones involved and go for a walk every day, even if it's cold outside.

Consider Your Alcohol Intake

You've probably heard the phrase "don't drink your calories." It's not a bad piece of advice actually. Alcohol not only increases your calorie intake, it also lowers inhibitions, which means you're much more likely to eat the kinds of food that don't really fit into your weight-loss regimen. Plus, your body treats alcohol like a poison, meaning that a lot of your other metabolic functions shut down until you fully digest and process the alcohol. That means a lot of that food isn't used for energy and is instead stored as fat.

At the very least, you can significantly reduce how much alcohol you're consuming during Christmas and choose carefully which types of alcohol you're drinking. Clear liquor is far fewer calories and has the least effect on your gut; stay away from beer as much as you can, and steer clear of the mixed cocktails with tons of added sugar. But even better than that is choosing to abstain from alcohol for a few months and see the incredible effects it will have on your system and especially on your weight-loss efforts.

Stay Hydrated and Sleep Well

Many people mistake thirst for hunger, so make sure you're drinking plenty of water throughout the day so you don't end up mindlessly snacking. It's just as important to get plenty of high-quality sleep so your body is rested and can recover well. This will also promote better metabolic functions and improved immune system. If you're traveling this Christmas, bring whatever you need to be comfortable wherever you're sleeping. Getting a travel pillow you love really helps, and it also doubles up as lumbar support when you're sitting in the uncomfortable airplane seats. Aim for 100 ounces of water a day and 7-8 hours of sleep a night.

Take a Progress Photo Every Day

This is probably going to feel like the most tedious task on this list, but it's going to keep you honest with yourself. Take a progress photo of your body every single day during the Christmas holidays. This will give you an honest, unfiltered look at your progress and how you're tracking through December. It's perfectly fine if you don't see much of a difference, but what you don't want to see is that your clothes are getting tighter or you're feeling less confident. The scale will be deceiving, depending on things like water retention due to salty food or menstrual cycle, but your progress photos don't lie so you'll be confronted with your real progress every day. This will keep you accountable with yourself and remind you to make healthy choices throughout the day.

Weight loss can be an enjoyable experience if you create the right mindset and environment. Christmas is the best time of year to reflect on everything in your life and what you've learned this past year. If you've been struggling with your health lately, this season will give you a lovely reminder of why you're embarking on this difficult journey, and that will give you the strength to carry on even when it gets tough. Be consistent, enjoy life, and remember every single day is a fresh slate to begin again.