How to Stay on Track Through the Holidays (Without the Guilt)
One thing is for certain: the holidays bring a lot of joy, a lot of family time… and a lot of food.
And if you’ve ever been a “chronic dieter” or someone who’s always thinking about calories, macros, or what you “shouldn’t” eat… then the holidays can also bring something else:
Guilt.
Guilt around treats.
Guilt around seconds.
Guilt around enjoying yourself.
Guilt around eating differently than you normally do.
And here’s the part most women don’t say out loud:
The guilt often feels worse than the food itself.
So in this post, we’re going to break things down into simple, realistic suggestions that help you stay on track without feeling restricted — and without that constant voice in your head telling you you’re doing something “wrong.”
This isn’t about dieting your way through the holidays.
It’s about creating balance, staying connected to your goals, and letting yourself enjoy the season without punishing yourself for it.
Let’s take the pressure off and move through the holidays with more confidence, more grace, and way less guilt.
1. Keep a Routine — Even if It Looks Different
As the holidays get busier, most of us end up putting ourselves on the back burner — especially moms. But this is actually the time when taking care of you matters the most. When life feels chaotic, your routine is the thing that keeps you grounded.
And here’s the good news:
Your routine doesn’t have to look perfect to be effective.
If you normally do hour-long workouts and that feels impossible right now, cut them down. Do 20 minutes. Do 10 minutes. Just do something that keeps you connected to the habit.
Holiday workouts aren’t just about staying “on track.”
They’re also a stress reliever. They help your mind slow down, reduce anxiety, and let you show up more present in your day-to-day life.
So as you move through the season, stick to some kind of routine — whatever that looks like for you right now. Plan it out, put it in your calendar, and treat it like a non-negotiable appointment with yourself.
It’s not about perfection. It’s about consistency in the middle of real life.
2. Enjoy the Actual Holiday Meals — Without the Guilt
Let’s talk about the actual holiday itself — the parties, family dinners, and events where food is everywhere.
For a lot of women, this is where the anxiety hits. Especially if people around you know you’re “trying to lose weight” or “eating healthy,” there can be this pressure to make the “right” choices.
But here’s the truth:
You’re allowed to enjoy holiday food. And you’re allowed to do it without guilt.
One of the easiest ways to avoid that out-of-control feeling at parties is simple:
Eat regularly throughout the day.
Don’t skip meals to “save calories.” Don’t show up starving.
Just treat it like a normal day.
Then, when it’s time for the holiday dinner or the party at night, it becomes exactly that — just another meal.
A special, fun, delicious meal… but still just one meal.
When you sit down, slow down. Enjoy the company. Savor the food. Get what you actually want — not what you think you should want.
This isn’t the moment for tracking or overthinking. It’s about joy and connection.
And let me be clear:
One holiday meal will NOT ruin your progress.
It won’t undo your consistency.
It won’t magically turn into fat overnight.
If you notice the scale is up the next morning (which I honestly don’t recommend checking), it’s almost never fat gain. What you’re seeing is:
Extra carbs being stored as glycogen
More water being held because carbs store water
Sodium from holiday foods
Travel, stress, and lack of routine
This is normal. Your body isn’t “broken.” You didn’t “mess up.” In fact, I love using those extra carbs from the day before to fuel my workout the next day (HELLO LEG DAY PUMP).
And as soon as you get back into your normal routine, that temporary bump goes away — usually within about three days.
So instead of stressing about one meal, one weekend, or one holiday… give yourself permission to enjoy it. The goal is to live — not restrict your way through every celebration.
3. Break the All-or-Nothing Mindset (This Is Where Most Guilt Comes From)
Holiday guilt rarely comes from the food itself — it comes from the stories we tell ourselves about the food, the rules we’ve created around it, and the pressure we put on ourselves to be perfect.
This time of year, so many women fall hard into the “all or nothing” cycle. You’re either eating perfectly clean and tracking every bite… or you say “screw it” and go all in until January. And it doesn’t stop at food — it shows up in fitness too.
You’re either hitting every workout, getting your steps, doing extra cardio “just in case”… or you fall completely off the wagon. No workouts, no routine, nothing. Then January comes around and you feel frustrated, disappointed, and honestly a little mad at yourself for giving up so easily.
And that’s where the shame creeps in.
The guilt.
The feeling that you “ruined everything.”
But the truth is, this isn’t about discipline or willpower. It’s the cycle you’ve been stuck in for years — the one that tells you if you can’t do it perfectly, you shouldn’t do it at all.
The worst part?
Every time you fall into this cycle and then beat yourself up, you chip away at your confidence. You start believing you can’t stick to anything. You start seeing yourself as inconsistent… when really, the problem isn’t you.
It’s the mindset you’ve been taught to live in.
The way out begins with awareness. Not judgment — just noticing.
And to help you do that, here are a few simple journal prompts you can use to break the cycle and stay grounded:
📝 Holiday Mindset Journal Prompts
1. “What rules do I have around food and exercise during the holidays?”
Notice the expectations or restrictions you automatically fall into. Most of them aren’t even yours — they’re patterns you picked up from dieting or old habits.
2. “Is what I’m thinking right now part of an all-or-nothing mindset?”
Ask yourself:
• Am I assuming one meal ruins everything?
• Am I telling myself I failed because I missed a workout?
• Am I swinging between extremes instead of finding a middle ground?
3. “What can I do in this moment to help me move through the holidays with more ease?”
Ideas include:
• Slowing down while you eat
• Drinking water
• Getting a short walk instead of skipping movement altogether
• Keeping your normal meals before/after the event
• Giving yourself permission to enjoy the moment
• Taking one small action instead of spiraling
These prompts help shift you out of guilt and into clarity. They bring you back to the middle — the place where real consistency lives.
Because the holidays don’t derail your progress…
the guilt and the punishment afterward do.
And the moment you let go of the all-or-nothing mindset, staying on track becomes so much easier
Bringing It All Together
When you really look at these three tips, they cover the three biggest areas women struggle with during the holidays: fitness, food, and mindset. And the truth is, you don’t need a complicated plan to stay on track — you just need a few simple habits that keep you grounded.
Tip #1 reminded you that your routine matters — even if it looks different this time of year. A shorter workout still counts. A walk still counts. Moving your body in any way keeps you consistent, reduces stress, and helps you stay connected to yourself in the middle of the chaos.
Tip #2 reminded you that holiday meals are just meals. They’re not “cheat days,” they’re not something you have to earn or make up for, and they definitely aren’t something you need to feel guilty about. Enjoying a family dinner or holiday party doesn’t ruin your progress — in fact, it’s a normal part of life.
Tip #3 brought it home with the mindset piece — the part most women skip. Because the guilt, the punishment, and the “I’ll start over in January” thinking is what really keeps you stuck. When you break the all-or-nothing cycle and let go of the rules you’ve picked up from years of dieting, everything gets easier. You stop spiraling, you stop quitting, and you start trusting yourself again.
The holidays don’t need to be a setback.
They also don’t need to be a test of perfection.
If you keep showing up for yourself, enjoy your meals without guilt, and stay out of the all-or-nothing thinking… you will move through this season with so much more calm, confidence, and control.
You deserve to live your life, enjoy the holidays, and still feel strong in your body — all at the same time.
It’s not one or the other.
It’s both.
And if you need support, guidance, or workouts to help you stay consistent, I’m here every step of the way.
