You Don’t Need to Punish Yourself for Enjoying the Holidays. Why the holiday “reset” mentality does more harm than good- and what to do instead.

Hi friends,

Every year, I get feedback from clients about how “out of whack” they feel during the holiday season. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s, many of us don’t feel quite like ourselves.

There are lots of reasons for this. We’re often traveling more, home less, exercising less regularly, and eating foods we don’t usually eat, because we don’t want to deprive ourselves of traditional holiday meals. I often hear people say they’ll just get through the holidays and reset afterward.

Some of us are off work, eating out more, drinking more, unable to work out consistently. The weather is colder, and it feels good to stay inside, cozy on the couch. During this time, many people feel stiff, tired, bloated, less flexible, just not normal.

What often happens is that the holidays pull us into an all-or-nothing mentality. We either feel like we should work out harder, eat less, or somehow compensate for overeating or under-exercising, or we give up completely and then find it harder to jump back in later.

But your body doesn’t need punishment.

What I see again and again- clinically and in my own life, is that holiday discomfort usually comes from:

• Less movement

• Uneven or disrupted schedules

• More sitting or standing in one position

• A higher mental load and more stress

During social events, we also tend to have less time to check in with ourselves, which means we’re often less responsive to our physical and emotional needs.

What really compounds the issue is that all-or-nothing mindset.

Instead of falling into this familiar cycle, try aiming for some consistency instead of none:

• Get a few workouts or movement sessions in each week, even if they’re shorter or less intense than usual.

• Balance things out with simple, home-cooked or nourishing meals when you can. Nothing is perfect, but many things help.

• Be mindful of long stretches of sitting, driving, or traveling, and break them up when possible.

• Take quick moments to check in with your body, even between plans or during busy days.

This season is also a reminder that presence matters- in your mind, in your body, and in your nervous system. It’s not just your schedule that dictates how you feel.

I talked about this last year on the Inside Out podcast with Jojo: How the all-or-nothing mindset creates big swings, and how staying connected year-round is what actually makes things sustainable.

No fixing yourself. No making up for anything.Just some level of consistency, always and supporting your body exactly where it is right now.

Wishing you an easy, grounded Holiday season,

Liron