Christmas is a lot of things: twinkly lights, bad cracker jokes, and… food everywhere. Buffets at work, chocolate “for the kids” (that you definitely bought for yourself), cheese boards the size of small countries.
If you’re trying to be healthy, it’s very easy to slide into one of two extremes:
- “Screw it, I’ll start again in January.”
- “I must be perfect and refuse all fun.”
Good news: neither of those is necessary. You can stay broadly healthy over Christmas and enjoy the good stuff. Let’s walk through how – and where New Year’s resolutions and Dry January fit in.
1. First things first: it is okay to indulge
Nutrition experts are pretty clear that the problem isn’t Christmas Day or one big meal – it’s when ultra-processed, treat-style foods become everyday habits. Even dietitians admit they overindulge at Christmas and focus on balance over the whole month, not perfection at every meal. The Guardian
Harvard Health also points out that if your usual pattern is balanced and moderate, it’s absolutely fine to overeat once in a while. One big meal won’t undo your overall progress. Harvard Health
So no, you don’t need to feel guilty because you said yes to:
- roast potatoes and stuffing
- pigs in blankets
- a second slice of dessert
The goal isn’t “no fun allowed”. The goal is: enjoy it, don’t live in it.
2. Simple ways to feel good while enjoying the food
Think of these as small guardrails so you can enjoy Christmas and still feel like a functional human the next day.
Don’t arrive absolutely starving
If you “save up” all day for a huge dinner, you’re way more likely to go from “I’m fine” to “I might actually explode”. A light snack with some protein (yogurt, a boiled egg, a handful of nuts) before a big meal can help you stay more in control around the buffet. Holiday-eating guides from places like Harvard and Yale emphasise not skipping meals and using a little portion control rather than all-or-nothing feasting.
Build your plate like a grown-up
Try this simple formula most of the time:
- ½ plate: veg or salad (yes, even at Christmas)
- ¼ plate: protein (turkey, salmon, lentil roast, etc.)
- ¼ plate: the fun carbs (roasties, stuffing, Yorkshire puddings)
Then add gravy, sauces, and a treat or two. You still get everything you love, just not in mountain form.
Choose your favourite treats
You don’t have to eat every biscuit, cake, and sweet just because they’re there. Pick the ones you really enjoy. If the Christmas cake is “meh” to you, skip it and have the thing you actually love.
Keep the non-food habits going
Holiday nutrition articles repeatedly make the same point: food isn’t the only thing that matters. Staying hydrated, getting some movement, and sleeping decently go a long way.
Quick wins:
- Drink water regularly (a glass between alcoholic drinks helps a lot).
- Get a short walk in – even 10–20 minutes after a big meal can help with digestion and blood sugar.
- Don’t completely abandon your bedtime; a roughly consistent sleep schedule supports mood, hunger hormones and willpower.
3. Drop the “I’ve ruined everything” mindset
A classic December thought:
“I had three mince pies, I’ve blown it now, may as well keep going and start again in January.”
This is all-or-nothing thinking, and it’s the real reason many of us spiral, not the mince pies themselves.
Try replacing “I’ve ruined it” with:
- “That was more than I planned. No big deal – back to normal at the next meal.”
- “I enjoyed that; now I’m going to do something kind for my body (glass of water, walk, early night).”
Your body responds to patterns over weeks and months, not a single afternoon on the sofa with Quality Street.
4. New Year’s resolutions: use January as a reset, not a punishment
Once the holidays wind down, you can use New Year’s energy to tweak your habits – just don’t make it a self-hate project.
Health organisations like NIH and the American Heart Association suggest your resolutions work best if they’re modest, specific, and planned, not huge vague declarations like “I will become the fittest person alive.”
A few tips from the research and expert advice:
- Be picky. Choose 1–3 health goals max (e.g., more steps, more veg, better sleep), not a full life overhaul.
- Get specific.
- Instead of: “Eat better.”
- Try: “Add one portion of veg to lunch and dinner.”
- Make it realistic.
- Instead of: “Run 5 days a week” when you currently run 0 days.
- Try: “Walk 20 minutes 3 times a week” and build from there.
- Plan the “how”, not just the “what”.
- When are you doing it?
- What might get in the way?
- What’s Plan B when life happens?
Think of resolutions as gentle upgrades, not punishments for Christmas.
5. Where Dry January comes in
Dry January = a month-long break from alcohol to reset your relationship with drinking. It started in the UK and has grown internationally, with millions of people taking part each year.
Health organisations like Harvard Health, UC Davis Health and others report that many people who do Dry January notice benefits like:
- better sleep
- more energy
- some weight loss
- lower blood pressure and blood sugar
- clearer skin and fewer “ugh, why did I do that?” hangovers
A few notes if you’re considering it
- You don’t have to be a heavy drinker to benefit. Even if you usually drink “socially”, a month off can be an interesting experiment in how you feel without it.
- If you drink heavily or every day, talk to a doctor first. Going cold turkey can be risky for some people; health experts warn that withdrawal can be serious in heavy drinkers.
- Make it about curiosity, not moral judgment.
- “How do I sleep if I don’t drink?”
- “What happens to my mood and energy?”
- “Did I miss alcohol as much as I thought I would?”
Practical prep:
- Stock up on alcohol-free beers, wines or mocktail ingredients.
- Tell your friends you’re doing Dry January so social events are less awkward.
- Use an app or a simple calendar to track your days – ticking off boxes is surprisingly satisfying.
6. A realistic December–January game plan
If you want something you can more or less copy-paste into your life, here’s a simple structure.
Through December
Pick 3 “anchors” to keep you feeling okay:
- Water: One glass of water before each meal and between alcoholic drinks.
- Movement: Move your body on most days, even if it’s just a 15–20 minute walk.
- Veg: Try to get veg on your plate at least twice a day, no matter what else you’re eating.
And then: let the rest be festive. Have the dessert. Eat the cheese. Just don’t turn a fun couple of weeks into a permanent lifestyle.
Into January
Choose 1–3 gentle resolutions that build on that base, for example:
- “Walk 8,000 steps at least 4 days a week.”
- “Cook at home 3 nights a week.”
- “Phone stays out of the bedroom; lights out by 11 p.m. on weeknights.”
Consider adding Dry January if you’re curious about how a month without alcohol would feel for your body and mind.
The bottom line
You don’t have to “earn” Christmas lunch with punishment workouts. You don’t have to “undo” Christmas with a miserable crash diet in January.
Instead, you can:
- enjoy the food you genuinely love
- keep a few simple healthy habits ticking over
- use New Year and maybe Dry January as a chance to reset gently, not punish yourself
Health is the long game. Christmas is just one (very delicious) chapter.
Of course, it will come as no great surprise to anyone that our fat reduction treatments, such as Fat Freezing, see a boost in January!
