🎄 Chasing Your Health at Christmas: Nutrition Without the Naughty List

By Chase Merfeld, MS, RDN, CSR

ChasingYourHealth.com

Christmas has a way of bringing out two very different voices in our heads.

One says:

“It’s Christmas. Relax. Eat the cookies. Drink the wine. January Chase will deal with it.”

The other says:

“You’ve worked hard all year. Don’t blow it now.”

If you’ve ever felt caught between enjoying the holidays and protecting your health — welcome to being human.

And here’s the good news: you don’t have to choose between Christmas joy and nutrition. I’m sure many RDs or nutrition influencers would disagree but they can kiss my ass ;) this is my page!

Things Influencers Say About Holiday Eating (That Sound Confident but Aren’t Science)

Every holiday season, social media fills up with loud nutrition takes from people who speak with confidence — not credentials. You’ll hear that “calories don’t count in December,” that holiday food “destroys your metabolism,” or that the solution is to skip meals, earn dessert with workouts, and detox everything away in January.

Here’s the truth: metabolism doesn’t take a vacation, your liver doesn’t need a cleanse, and under-eating before a big meal usually backfires. These messages spread because they’re dramatic, extreme, and easy to sell — not because they reflect how the body actually works.

Holiday eating doesn’t require chaos, punishment, or a reset button. Health isn’t built in a perfect week, and it’s definitely not destroyed by a plate of pie.

You can enjoy the holidays without turning January into damage control.

🎅 The Biggest Nutrition Myth of the Holidays

Somewhere along the way, we decided that Christmas = nutritional disaster.

But let’s be honest.

Health is not ruined by:

• One week of cookies

• One big meal

• A few glasses of wine

• Grandma’s famous dessert

Health is impacted by what we do most of the time, not what happens between Christmas Eve and New Year’s.

One holiday does not undo months of balanced habits — just like one salad doesn’t erase months of stress eating. Nutrition for health is a forever type of goal, moderation can be a thing!

🍽️ What “Chasing Your Health” Looks Like During Christmas

At Chasing Your Health, we don’t chase perfection.

We chase intentional choices, awareness, and balance — even during the holidays.

That looks like:

• Enjoying Christmas meals without guilt

• Prioritizing protein and fiber earlier in the day

• Staying hydrated (yes, even when wine is involved 🍷)

• Moving your body because it feels good — not as punishment

• Letting joy, connection, and rest count as part of health

Because they absolutely do!!!!!!

🧠 Nutrition Isn’t Just Food — It’s the Season

Christmas nutrition isn’t just about what’s on your plate.

It’s also about:

• Stress levels

• Sleep

• Emotional connection

• Traditions

• Memories

Sharing a meal with people you love has real health value — mentally and emotionally.

Food is culture. Food is memory. Food is connection.

And Christmas food? That’s often all three.

🥗 Practical Tips (That Don’t Kill the Holiday Spirit)

Here are a few gentle, realistic strategies if you want to feel good and enjoy Christmas:

✔️ Start the day with protein

Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, leftovers — it helps stabilize blood sugar before festive eating begins.

✔️ Add, don’t restrict

Add fruits, veggies, and fiber where you can instead of trying to “cut out” holiday foods.

✔️ Eat the foods you actually love

Skip the “meh” stuff. If it’s not worth it, don’t eat it. If it is worth it — enjoy it fully.

✔️ Move for joy

Walks, hikes, playing with kids, getting outside — movement doesn’t need to be a workout.

✔️ Ditch the food morality

Cookies aren’t “bad.” Salad isn’t “good.” They’re just food.

🎁 A Final Reminder This Christmas

Health is not fragile.

Your body is resilient.

Your habits matter over time.

And Christmas is allowed to be joyful.

So this season, chase:

• Connection

• Presence

• Balance

• Grace

And yes — still chase your health.

Just not at the expense of enjoying the season you’re in.🎄✨