Weight gain is 100% about hormones, and not about “calories in calories out”. Foods now, more than ever before in our history, have been DESIGNED to stimulate the pleasure points of the brain, and stimulate the incorrect hormonal response. Foods become CRAVED, people never reach a level of NUTRITIONAL SATIETY (meaning we don’t get full and don’t eat nutritional advocates of our bodies and hormonal balance), and we become not only ADDICTED to foods, but we fall into a pattern of WEIGHT CYCLING.
Holidays just become the alibi for our participation in the cycle of food, sugar, and weight cycling addiction.
There are no surprises…..we know the holidays are coming…..so we actually have the opportunity each year to break the weight cycling….and every year, the holidays roll in with comfort food, celebrations, and plenty of temptations. And every year, many of us find ourselves in the same loop:
~ Overindulge beginning Halloween, into Thanksgiving and hopefully ends after New Year’s
~ Feel guilty in January
~ Restrict, diet hard, or over-exercise
~ Struggle with weight… only to repeat the cycle next year
This is what I call the Holiday Weight Cycle. It’s frustrating, and it keeps you stuck in a pattern of “two steps forward, two steps back.”
But here’s the truth: you can break free. You don’t have to give up the joy of the season—you just need a strategy that keeps you in control.
Holiday Weight Cycle Cheat Sheet
The Cycle Looks Like This:
- Feast → Guilt → Restrict → Repeat
How to Break It:
- Fuel, Don’t Deprive
- Eat balanced meals that focus on satiety BEFORE parties so you’re not walking in starving.
- Pick Your “Worth It” Foods
- Enjoy the holiday dishes you love most. Pass on the fillers that don’t excite you.
- Hydrate & Balance Drinks
- Start with water. Alternate each alcoholic or sugary drink with water.
- Move in the Margins
- Sneak in walks, stretch breaks, or quick workouts. Movement doesn’t have to be “all or nothing.”
- Bounce Back Fast
- Overdo it? No big deal. Get right back to your normal routine at the next meal—don’t wait until “Monday” or “January 1.”
Coaching Mindset
Here’s what I remind my clients:
- One meal won’t make or break you. It’s the pattern that matters.
- You’re in the driver’s seat. The holidays don’t control you—you control how you show up.
- Consistency beats perfection. Aim for progress, not punishment.
- A good strategy breaks the pattern – Develop a strategy, don’t polish off last year’s “free pass” to holiday WEIGHT CYCLING.
How amazing would it be to get ahead of the cycle by 4 to 6 weeks, and begin post-holiday season 20 to 30 pounds lighter than you are today?
Sound realistic?
Just remember, “whether you believe you can or can’t…..either way, you’re exactly right.”
CHALLENGE: Break the holiday weight cycle this year. Show up for yourself, enjoy the food and the fun, and step into the new year without that January regret.
CHALLENGE HELP: Don’t go it alone….let THE METABOLIC HEALTH COACHES get you out of the HOLIDAY WEIGHT CYCLING LOOP.