Don’t let the holiday season be a step back on your journey of healthy eating, weight management, getting in shape – whatever your goals may be. Why, you ask? Because that just adds more stress to your life once it’s over! That’s why I’ve created this 12 days of Christmas challenge for a little more balance during the holiday season.
The aim of this challenge is not to add too much stress to your life but to instill healthy eating strategies even during all the craziness that the holidays bring. This is a fun way to stay accountable and we all need it!
You can complete this 12 day challenge at any time before Christmas or even after! If you don’t celebrate Christmas, feel free to join in as well – I just thought the “12 days of Christmas” had a nice ring to it.
Let your family know that you are completing this challenge and why so they can support you! Blame it on me, if needed. Feel free to swap days if one makes sense for you .
Reasons to Try this Challenge
Reason #1: you’ll feel less guilt when you do indulge throughout the holiday season. You’ve got a plan in place for most days of the week and that provides more balance in your life.
Reason #2: this challenge might inspire you to develop new, healthy habits that you can take with you into the New Year!
Reason #3: Are you someone with a competitive spirit? Get your friends involved and see who can complete all 12 days!
Reason #4: You’re a busy, hard-working mom and you deserve to prioritize your health sometimes! Don’t let these months get away from you too much so you end up feeling down once January 1st hits.
Reason #5: It’s fun and most of these challenges aren’t too much to ask. Even if you take shortcuts! Plus, I list a lot of resources you can use to make this entire 12-day challenge easier.
12 Days of Christmas Healthy Eating Challenge
Day 1: Meal Prep Breakfast for the Week
Why is it important to eat breakfast? Oh, I could talk about this all day long. Eating something in the morning, even if it’s on the smaller side, will provide you with energy and can help reduce mindless snacking. That way, when coworkers are bringing donuts to work you won’t feel like you have to eat them because you’re starving. This is just an example – if you still want to eat a donut: go for it!
Even further, a breakfast that contains protein and fiber helps to stabilize your blood sugar, keeps you fuller for longer, and might reduce your appetite so you’re not ravenous and overeat at lunch time. Plus, you’ll have an easy, grab-and-go breakfast and that in itself can eliminate stress on busy mornings.
Easy Breakfast Meal Prep Ideas
I am going to make it easy for you and list a bunch of options. All you have to do is choose one! Overnight oats are my go-to for breakfast prep because it only takes 5 minutes! These options prioritize protein and fiber and can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
If you prefer variety and hate eating the same thing every morning, you could always prep 2+ items or meal prep the base of the overnight oats and add different toppings everyday.
If you’re someone who prefers to just drink a smoothie every morning, I challenge you to try this Banana Berry Kefir Smoothie!
Day 2: Do an Extra 10 Minutes of Physical Activity
What does your typical day of physical activity look like? If you’re not very active, this is your day to start small and do something for just 10 minutes. For the gym-goers, add an extra 10 minutes to your gym session. Or, try one of the ideas below.
Easy Ideas to Try
Day 3: Practice Mindful Eating
Mindful eating teaches us to listen to our body: respond to hunger cues, and recognize when we’re full. This is a very helpful strategy to have on hand during holiday parties and get togethers. Learning how to eat more mindfully is quickly becoming a popular approach to teaching people to have a more positive relationship with food.
Select one meal where you sit down and practice the principles of mindful nutrition. Ensure that you’re experiencing hunger cues prior to this meal. Before starting, take a few deep breaths to relax. Examine your food, chew very slowly (20-30 chews before you swallow), and focus on the taste of each bite.
Close your eyes after each bite (or every few bites) and really savor the moment. If you start to feel full, drink some water and wait a few minutes before continuing to really recognize if you are still hungry.
Day 4: Batch Cook or Component Cooking
Whatever you are making for dinner on this day: choose one component to double or triple for future meals. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of uncooked rice make 2 or 3 cups. These components can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months to prevent foodborne illness.
This strategy saves time and energy on busy nights. If you’re making a power bowl, already prepared rice is one less pan you have to dirty! It might make you feel more inclined to cook when you really don’t want to. Check out my Guide on Component Cooking for more information.
Day 5: Make a High Protein Plant-Based Meal
Eating more plant-based meals offers many advantages to both health and the environment. Research has shown they’re associated with a lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and obesity. Plus, they’re typically more affordable!
Here are some high protein plant-based meal options to try:
Day 6: Healthy Snack Prep
A healthy snack can be a great bridge to the next meal and even help fill in those nutritional gaps. Day 6 is all about meal prepping a healthy snack that you can eat for the next couple days. I also highly recommend having a snack before any holiday gatherings so you’re not ravenous once you get there! This might help you make healthier food choices, too.
Some easy snack options are these High Protein Cheesecake Cups, Kefir Chia Pudding, or any of these Easy Snacks with 10 Grams of Protein. For healthy yet decadent snacks perfect for the holidays try my Cinnamon Roll Pudding or S’mores Protein Pudding.
Pro-tip: Make one of these High Protein and Fiber Snacks to set you up for success on day 7.
Day 7: Consume At Least 25 Grams of Fiber
The recommended amount of fiber each day is about 14 grams for every 1,000 calories, or 25 grams each day for women and 38 grams for mean. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but most people are not meeting the minimum amount of fiber daily!
On day 7, I want you to be really mindful of your fiber intake – even jotting down an estimate of how much you’re eating throughout the day. Make sure to drink a lot of water, too! Some of the best food options to increase fiber? Raspberries, beans and legumes, whole grains, avocados, chia seeds, oatmeal and high fiber pasta.
Check out High Protein, High Fiber Meal Plan, 20 Recipes High in Protein and Fiber, and High Fiber Breakfast Ideas for more inspiration.
Day 8: Practice 30 Minutes of Self-Care
Moms often experience an overwhelming amount of pressure, especially during the holidays, which can lead to physical and emotional exhaustion. Even small acts of self-care can decrease feelings of exhaustion, burnout, stress, and depression. Get your nails done, read a book, get a facial, take a bath – whatever it is that makes you feel more complete!
If this day doesn’t work for you specifically, I want you to schedule at least 30-minutes of self-care for a future day. Call and make a facial or massage appointment! Or, just tell your husband you are going to a coffee shop by yourself on a scheduled day.
Day 9: Lunch Prep
On day 9, you can either make some extra dinner and store it for lunch the next couple of days. Or, meal prep some high protein lunches to set you up for success for the week. These meals will keep you fuller for longer, help you reach a higher protein intake, and will help prevent ordering out or snacking on your child’s chicken nuggets.
This can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be! I have a lot of meal prep resources to help you out.
— High Protein Meal Prep Ideas on a Budget
— Dense Bean Salad Recipe – this trend has been going viral on TikTok and many people find prepping a “DBS” is very helpful for the week.
— Low Calorie, High Protein Lunch Prep
— Easy Work Lunches in 15 Minutes or Less
— High Protein and Fiber Lunchables (shown above)
Day 10: Meal Plan for Next Week
Take some time to plan out your meals for the next week – whether that’s easy breakfast or lunch ideas or what you’re going to make for dinner each night. Honestly, I absolutely hate meal planning but it really sets you up for success to prioritize more home-cooked meals. It sucks as you are doing it but you’ll be glad you did the following week!
If you struggle with meal planning, think about having a “theme” for each night. This can eliminate some of the mental load that goes along with figuring out what’s for dinner every night. You can grab a blank template of the above meal plan in my Theme Night Guide.
Check out these posts for easy meal ideas that are perfect for the holiday season! Try to select super simple dinners during this time if you’re feeling overwhelmed and burnt out. Also, you could select dinner recipes where you already cooked one of the components from day 4!
Day 11: Try a Workout You’ve Never Done Before
A change up in the typical workout routine can help break a weight loss plateau, make things more exciting, improve cardiovascular fitness or increase muscle mass. Therefore, day 11 is trying something new.
Maybe that’s stretching, yoga, Pilates, an easy HIIT routine, or weight lifting. I highly recommend one of my favorite YouTube trainers: Heather Robertson and Caroline Girvan.
Day 12: Make a List
It’s time to reflect and make a plan. What parts of this challenge do you think you could realistically add to your everyday life in the New Year?
Achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not just about hitting the gym or counting calories. It involves a significant mindset shift which prepares you to overcome resistance and ambivalence. Write down your goals, what you want for your future for the new year and how you are going to accomplish those things. Be realistic, of course!
Create a detailed action plan that not only includes how you’re going to achieve your goals, but strategies to overcome obstacles. How will you handle them? Write that down, too!
How Did It Go?
This challenge was a very random idea I had one day and just felt like it would be fun. I know that many people wait until after the New Year to start a new eating or fitness journey. However, finding a balance of indulgence and healthy living during the holidays might make your January goals a lot easier.
So, I hope if you tried this you enjoyed it and found it helpful in some sort of way! Even if you didn’t complete all of the days give yourself a big pat on the back for even attempting this with all the hectic and busy days leading up to Christmas! Either way, feel free to let me know in the comments!
