TOP TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
My, oh my, December already! 2025 is right around the corner. How are you doing with PROGRESSING through the holidays (instead of regressing)? I am here today to share my top tips and tricks for maintaining a “simple” lifestyle through the holidays, maintaining a healthy protein intake, and feeling like the best version of yourself. 1. Start your day with 16 ounces of room-temperature water right away — get up (don’t press the snooze button!! Maybe that actually should have been number 1, but either way…) get out of bed, brush your teeth, take your morning supplements or medicines that need to be on an empty stomach, and then drink your 16 ounces of room-temperature water. 2. Start your day with protein — start with at least 20 grams of protein within two hours of waking up. Maybe this is before your workout or directly after. 3. Focus on 15–30 grams of protein every three hours during the day. Aim for 30 grams of protein at your meals and 15 grams of protein in between at your snacks — on average, every three hours during the day. 4. Make your protein shake the night before and store it in the fridge. Then shake it up and drink it. This might be your breakfast or it might be a snack.
6. LOAD UP ON THE VEGETABLES. Non-starchy carbohydrates such as your vegetables (that excludes potatoes, peas, and corn) are unlimited throughout your day and are not limited to before 2 p.m.
Cooked vegetables help to lower cholesterol, blood sugar, inflammation, and hunger!
7. One gallon of water. Aim for 1 gallon of water per day (as long as your kidneys and heart are healthy), and make sure you replace your electrolytes daily. In fact, make sure you are tracking and COUNTING your ounces of water. 8. Write down your food and drinks. Keep track of your “off” days and your “on” days. If you have holiday events, that is OKAY. Just make sure you are resetting the next day with a lean protein and vegetable-based day. Try to stay “on” 90% and “off” 10%. That is balance.
You will only stay accountable and true to this if you can actually see it written down. With writing things down — plan your meals ahead of time. Plan to use leftovers for lunch. Plan to have more flexibility on the weekends (Friday and Saturday) for events during the holiday. This can always be adjusted.
9. Understand your macronutrients. Understand the nutrient goals your body needs each day. Understand that you want to be in a range at the end of the week — so this gives you some flexibility day to day to have “off” days. 10. USE A COACH. Have someone to coach you, guide you, and hold you accountable other than yourself, your family, or a significant other.
P.S. The shakes you make have fewer calories and carbohydrates than the premade shakes you buy. Also, they are without any added oils — so they are actually better for you and can be just as convenient!
5. Keep your carbohydrates, such as fruit, bread, rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and pasta, before 2 p.m. If you know you are going to an event that night where you will indulge, stay lean during the day and enjoy your carbs at night, but as a general rule, keep your carbs before 2 p.m!
You can progress through the holidays! Ciao!
–Jenni Berman PA-C, ABAAHP, CPT, CNS
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