I'm Onur, a personal trainer and executive health coach in Los Angeles. Every year my clients hit the same wall between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Work is racing to close the year. There's a party or a client dinner almost every night. Family flies in, or you fly out. The routine that worked in October falls apart, and by mid-January you feel like you lost three months.
You didn't. You lost a few weeks of structure. This is how I help clients stay fit during the holidays and hold on to it.
Can you really stay fit during the holidays?
Yes, if you change what "fit" means for six weeks. Most people try to run their normal plan through the busiest stretch of the year. It breaks in the first week, and then they quit on the whole thing.
So I ask clients a different question: what would make this season a win? For most busy executives, the answer isn't losing weight in December. It's coming out of the holidays where they went in, still training and still sleeping, ready to push again in January. That's a goal you can actually hit.
Pick your priority events
Look at your calendar for the next six weeks. You'll see the company party, a few client dinners, Thanksgiving, maybe a trip, and a pile of "let's grab a drink before the year ends."
They don't all deserve the same effort. Pick the few nights you really want to enjoy. Your family's big dinner. The one party you look forward to. On those nights, eat what you want and skip the guilt.
Everything else is a regular night. The Tuesday client dinner doesn't need dessert and a third drink just because there's a tree in the lobby. When you decide this ahead of time, you're not making the call at 9 PM with a glass in your hand.
The clients who do best treat a holiday like Thanksgiving as a normal day with a bigger dinner. It's not a free pass, and it's not something to feel bad about. Before the day comes, we walk through it hour by hour: when you'll train and what your plate will look like. Once you've pictured the day, it's much easier to live it.
What to eat before a holiday party
Don't show up starving. This is the most common mistake I see. People skip lunch to "save room," walk in hungry, and eat half the appetizer tray before dinner is even served.
Have a normal meal or a solid snack with protein an hour or two before you go. A protein shake works fine on a packed day. Then, at the party or the dinner table, build your plate the way I coach clients every week. Protein first, then vegetables, then a little of whatever else looks good. You still get the stuffing. You just get it after you've eaten the food that keeps you full.
If it's a family-style dinner where everyone shares, order a dish for yourself when you can. With shared plates, it's hard to know how much you've eaten.
How to keep working out during the holidays
Keep a short version of your training. Long sessions will get bumped. A 30-minute session won't, as long as it's on your calendar like a meeting.
For most of my clients, the holiday plan is a couple of short strength sessions a week plus a walk most days. In my experience, that's usually enough to keep the progress you made this fall. This is not the month to chase personal records.
Walks count for more than people think. A 30-minute walk after a big meal is one of my favorite ways to stay fit during the holidays. Bring the family. It's often the best talk of the day.
When you're stuck, look at what you can do instead of what you can't. The hotel gym is tiny. Your knee is cranky. The house is full of relatives. There's still a walk or a bodyweight session in there somewhere. Ask yourself, "What can I do with what I have today?" If you're flying for the holidays, the plan in my guide on how to stay in shape when you travel for work works on family trips too.
How to handle drinks at holiday events
Decide your number before you walk in, not after the first round. One or two, or none. Any of those is fine as long as you picked it ahead of time.
Holiday drinking is mostly social pressure. Someone orders a round for the table, and a glass shows up in front of you. You don't have to finish it. Holding a sparkling water with lime also stops a lot of "can I get you something?"
If you know one night will be bigger, plan for it. Pick that night, enjoy it, and go back to your normal number the next day.
Score your week, not your day
At the end of each week in December, rate yourself from 1 to 10. Then ask yourself two questions. What went well? What would have made it a 10?
Most people are harder on themselves than they need to be. A week with two workouts, daily walks and one big night out is a good holiday week.
The second question is where the change happens. Your answer will be specific: "I'd have ordered my own plate instead of sharing," or "I'd have skipped the drinks I didn't even want." This comes from motivational interviewing, one of the methods I use. I don't hand you a list of rules. I help you say, in your own words, what you want to do differently. People follow through on their own reasons much more than on mine.
How to get back on track after the holidays
The morning after a big night is where the season is won or lost. Don't skip breakfast to make up for it. Don't do a two-hour punishment workout. Go back to normal: your usual breakfast, water, a walk, and your next planned session.
One heavy meal doesn't undo months of work. What does the damage is "I already blew it" thinking. That's what turns one night into a lost week, and a lost week into "I'll start again in January."
This is also where a coach earns their keep. December is when most people need someone checking in and adjusting the plan. You can see what that looks like over time on my client results page.
Frequently asked questions
Should I stop working out during the holidays?
No. Cut the volume and keep the habit. The easiest way to stay fit during the holidays is a couple of short strength sessions a week and a daily walk.
How do I avoid overeating at holiday parties?
Eat a normal meal with protein before you go, so you don't arrive starving. At the table, fill your plate with protein and vegetables first, then add the treats you really want.
How do I get back on track after the holidays?
Make your next meal a normal one and keep your next workout on the calendar. Skip the punishment workouts and crash diets. One big night only becomes a big problem if you let it turn into a week.
Want help with this holiday season?
If you're in Los Angeles and want a plan built around your calendar this year, take a look at working with me as your personal trainer in Los Angeles. If you live somewhere else, my online fitness coaching works the same way, with the same check-ins through the holidays.