Growing up, my family holidays were full—and I mean very full—of food and relaxation. We’d eat not one but two large meals every holiday. The next day, we’d all wake up with what I can only describe as a food hangover and spend the entire day laying around. Although the food was good, that next-day feeling of being sluggish and crappy? Not worth it.
Now, as a grown adult with my own family, I value my energy differently. I want to actually do things with friends and family. I need enough energy to make it through the day—and the entire holiday season. I don’t like the feeling of food hangovers, and frankly, I don’t have time for them.
Because here’s the thing: the holidays are so much more than food now. There’s running around, shopping, working, trying to do stuff with my kids, friend/family/neighborhood parties. To be honest, when I look back, I have no idea how the women in my family did it all. They made elaborate meals, bought the best gifts for us, hosted multiple parties. I’m sure that after we kids went back to school, mom crashed for days.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
You Deserve Better Than a Sluggish Holiday Season
As both a registered dietitian and licensed professional counselor, I work with busy adults—especially those in the sandwich generation who feel burned out and overwhelmed, watching their health get chipped away day by day. The holidays can amplify all of that.
The good news? Small, realistic steps can help you regain energy, confidence, and control over your well-being during this chaotic season. You don’t have to choose between enjoying the holidays and feeling good. Here’s how:
1. Enjoy, But Don’t Overindulge
There’s no reason you can’t enjoy some of your favorites. Sit down, take your time, and be fully present with your meal. Stop when you’re satisfied or about 80% full. You’ll enjoy the experience more, and you’ll actually remember what you ate instead of mindlessly grazing your way through the evening.
2. Mind Your Sugar Intake
Sugar gives you a little high and then zaps your energy quickly. It increases cravings and those episodes of feeling “hangry.” And sugar isn’t only in desserts this time of year—it’s hiding in drinks too. Pop, juice, holiday punches, sugary coffees, and alcohol mixers all count.
Make choices: if you want a cookie or piece of cake, go ahead, but skip the pop for the night. Your energy levels will thank you.
3. Out of Sight, Out of Mind
If you typically have holiday cookies, desserts, and leftovers hanging around on the counters, put them away or throw them out. Make a cookie platter for your neighbors and say adios. You’re human—the more you see them, the more you’ll eat them. Give yourself a fighting chance.
4. Use Discernment with Alcohol
This time of year, alcohol is everywhere. Your boss takes the team out, there are more parties and dinners. But here’s the truth: alcohol is one of the biggest energy zappers out there.
It takes a tremendous amount of nutrition for your liver to process alcohol, and it robs you of good, restorative sleep. You might feel like alcohol helps you fall and stay asleep, but it greatly reduces the deep sleep you need to feel energized the next day.
Choose wisely. Maybe pick one or two events to have a drink, but not all events are “drink worthy.” And remember: alcohol is a double-edged sword. People use it to take the edge off, but it actually increases anxiety the next day, creating a cycle that can be hard to break.
5. Keep Moving
The less you move, the less energy you have. And the less energy you have, the less you move. It’s a vicious cycle.
If anything, you have to generate your own energy to make it through the season. The more you move and stay in a routine with your exercise, the more energy you’ll have. Bonus points for getting outdoors with fresh air and sun.
Movement is one of the best strategies to buffer holiday season stress. My mantra? Move your body, change your mind.
6. Protect Your Sleep Like It’s Your Superpower (Because It Is)
I know there are things that have to be done. You can’t put unwrapped gifts under the tree. But protect your sleep at all costs.
When you sleep, your body cleans itself and gets you prepared for the next day. Day after day of poor sleep will leave you feeling run down. Combine that with all the extra food, and it’s a recipe for an uncomfortable holiday season.
7. Find Other Things to Do with Family and Friends
This is a season to create memories and connect with others. Instead of defaulting to eating and drinking, try something new:
- Zoo lights or the arboretum
- Taking a Saturday morning walk
- Indoor pool with the kids
- Indoor mini golf or bowling
- See a movie or play
- Second City for a fun night out in Chicago
- Paint and sip events
The memories you create doing these activities will last far longer than the memory of another heavy meal.
You Deserve Better Than a Sluggish Holiday Season
At The Pointe, we help busy adults like you break free from frustration and build a sustainable path to better health. With personalized care, accountability, and a focus on progress over perfection, you can reclaim your sense of self and actually enjoy this season.
We take insurance including Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and United Healthcare, and most people pay as little as $0 out of pocket for services.
Don’t settle for a sluggish, low-energy holiday season. You deserve to feel good, have energy for the people and activities you love, and actually enjoy this time of year.
Ready to make this your most energized holiday season yet? Contact us to get started.
