It’s time for the 2025 reset! Those cookie platters and mugs of eggnog from December don’t have to leave you riding sugar crashes into the new year. Of course, bouncing back with eating and exercise after the holidays can be hard. Weight gain and a general sense of sluggishness can leave you feeling unmotivated. First, don’t feel bad. Research shows that most people gain weight over the holidays. The only real problem we have to worry about is allowing the “pound here and there” to accumulate. For example, gaining a single pound every holiday season for 20 years without taking it off in January means that you may find yourself 20 pounds heavier down the road. Here’s a peek at how to plan your post-holiday comeback if you overindulged over the past few months.

1. Don’t Try to “Undo” the Damage by Skipping Meals

If you have some regrets about your holiday eating habits, don’t dwell on them. Some people will try to drastically reverse their holiday overindulgences by going on “starvation” diets in January. This can backfire for your health, wellness, and weight. Research shows that restricting food has been linked with increases in food cravings and binge eating. Skipping meals doesn’t just make a person miserable. Research linking skipping meals with weight gain may mean that it’s also wildly counterproductive.

A 2021 study on associations of skipping breakfast, lunch, and dinner with weight and obesity in university students found that skipping dinner is a significant predictor of weight gain and obesity. The reality is that it’s much smarter to simply be intentional about eating when you’re trying to bounce back from the holidays. By remaining satiated with help from healthy, whole foods, you can stay on track with your plans to lose weight or regain energy after feeling “less than healthy” at the end of the year.

2. Discover New Foods

One of the hardest parts about resetting your diet at the beginning of the year is that you’re going from yummy holiday foods to “bland” everyday foods. That’s why January is a great month for spicing things up with your diet. Consider skipping your usual diet in favor of discovering new foods.

What does this look like in practical terms? Let’s say you’re someone who reverts back to boiled chicken or plain egg whites when you want to be disciplined with your eating. It’s easy to see why you might struggle to stick to these types of foods after you’ve spent a few weeks enjoying sugary, buttery, and flavorful foods during the holidays. A good strategy might be to integrate more flavorful and exotic foods into your diet that still offer many of the same benefits as your bland go-to foods. In fact, a varied diet full of new flavors could actually provide better nutrition that gives you a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants compared to what you usually eat.

Need some ideas? Swap a plain egg white for a crispy egg white frittata with some broccoli that adds texture. If you’re craving a little more, just think of how exciting it would be to wake up to an egg white scramble made with roasted veggies and chipotle lime crema instead.

3. Plan Workouts You Enjoy

Does the thought of getting back to the gym feel painful at this point? It’s easy to lose touch with that lift we get from feel-good hormones during workouts when we’ve been away from the gym for a few weeks during the holidays. It might be time to reignite your passion for working out by adding in a new activity you can look forward to when getting out of the house on a chilly day doesn’t seem very appealing. In fact, getting in on one of the latest fitness trends could help you to feel excited about getting active this winter. Here are some ideas to help you burn calories and improve cardiovascular health after a season of indulging has left you feeling out of shape:

• Sign up for a local pickleball club. This is the ultimate indoor activity that gives you that summertime pep in your step during the colder months of the year.
• Consider upgrading your gym membership to include boxing classes or aerobics sessions.
• Look up walking paths near your office that provide scenic opportunities to get some steps in during your lunch break.
• Splurge on a “smart” home gym experience that allows you to enjoy guided workouts virtually.

4. Focus on Portion Sizes

It’s easy to lose sight of what a normal portion looks like when we’ve been eating from platters or going back for seconds for weeks. Did you know that research shows that people will actually eat more food when they’re offered large portions? In fact, the phenomenon is so prevalent that researchers have actually created a term called the portion size effect (PSE)to describe it.

The PSE is why eating at restaurants can actually be tricky for some people. While you wouldn’t necessarily pile your plate high at home, you will dig in to the full portion when it’s offered at a restaurant. Unfortunately, swearing off restaurants can be hard for busy people who don’t often have time to prepare balanced meals at home. That’s one of the reasons why meal delivery systems are so popular. With meal delivery, you get to enjoy perfect portions that are meant to satiate you without creating pressure to clean a plate that’s simply too big. There’s never anxiety about waste because you’re getting an appropriate portion that you can finish without worrying about keeping track of how much you’re eating. The best part is that another preplanned, perfectly portioned meal will be waiting when you’re ready to eat again.

5. Make Friends With Protein and Fiber

Influencers may be encouraging you to do outrageous detox plans to get back on track after the holidays. Unfortunately, detoxes can leave you depleted, zapped of energy, and hungrier than ever. A better option than detoxing is actually to fill up on gut-friendly protein and fiber. Fiber and protein are amazing together because they help you to feel full while also assisting with digestion and gut health. That’s important if you’ve noticed tummy troubles since the holidays. Sugar actually changes the ecosystem within the gut. Excessive sugar intake can disrupt the intestinal barrier to increase gut permeability. That’s why you might be noticing gas, indigestion, food sensitivities, and a decreased immune system if you overdid it with cookies, cakes, treats, or sugary beverages over the holidays.

Fiber plays an important role in healing and protecting the gut. When consumed, dietary fiber is fermented by the human gut microbiota in order to produce beneficial microbial metabolites. What’s more, high dietary fiber consumption is associated with increased gut microbiota diversity and lower long-term weight gain. Many people find that consuming fiber with their meals allows them to feel full longer. Fiber can be a real cravings buster. Protein-rich foods can also help to extend feelings of fullness and fight cravings. Research shows that protein helps to increase satiety.

6. Leave the “Guilt” Mindset Behind

Bouncing back from a holiday eating fest is about starting fresh! There’s no need to feel shame, guilt, or regret when looking back on your eating habits during the last few weeks of the year. Leading a balanced life means leaving room to indulge when you’re kicking back for some well-deserved relaxation after a long year. If you’re having trouble letting go of food-related guilt, let science be your guide. It’s proven that holding on to guilt about food can actually make it harder to get in shape.

Researchers know that guilt is a profound motivator. However, it may not motivate you in the right direction if the goal is to get healthy. When examining the effects of guilt on reaching weight-loss goals, researchers found that guilt did not have any motivational properties. Participants who associated indulging in chocolate cake with guilt did not have stronger motivations to eat healthy compared to participants who associated eating the cake with celebration. In fact, people who associated the cake with guilty feelings reported lower levels of perceived behavioral control over eating. They were also less successful at maintaining their weight over an 18-month period. Consider this your permission to stop feeling guilty about holiday eating activities!

Get Ready for Your Healthiest Year Ever

Going into the new year with a plan for staying in control of your eating habits can set you up to be feeling your best a year from now! If you’re struggling with knowing where to start, consider removing the confusion and hassle of meal planning by signing up for a meal delivery service. LocalFoodz offers healthy food delivery throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area. Select a meal plan menu, build a rotating weekly meal plan, or simply pick your favorites from our à la carte menu. Start planning your year of healthy eating now!