Christmas, Holidays, and Afterwards? How to Return to Healthy Eating Habits?
Laura Schneider
2026-03-20
5 min. read
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The Christmas season, particularly in Polish culture, is linked to family gatherings and food. Many people eagerly anticipate traditional dishes, their favorite dairy products, and a feast with their loved ones. However, once the holidays wind down and there are numerous leftovers in the refrigerator, we ask ourselves, what next? How to revert to healthy eating habits? Here are several recommendations.
"Organize everything in your mind"
Firstly, we shouldn't punish ourselves for not adhering to all the dietary rules during the holidays. Instead, let's think that we had a pleasant time, recharged our batteries for the upcoming months, and now we should slowly return to routine. Nothing bad happened! Just because we've eaten more than we should in the last few days doesn't mean that our diet so far was insignificant. Occasional larger or smaller deviations from the diet really don't have a significant impact on its effectiveness. You decide whether the previous efforts were in vain. It's enough to remember to return to healthy eating habits after the holidays.
Do not perform body weight measurements one day after the holidays
Unfortunately, many individuals, particularly those who care for their health and body shape daily, conduct body weight measurements the day after the holidays. Unfortunately, such actions can unnecessarily lead to even greater guilt. It is worth noting that to gain body weight by 1 kilogram of fat, you need to consume almost 7100 kcal more than your energy needs. Therefore, it seems almost impossible to gain 3-4 kilograms of body weight in 3 days. In fact, the additional kilograms consist not only of fat tissue but also of excess water, muscle glycogen, and remnants of undigested food. This is the reason why the body weight can increase by a few kilograms. To restore balance, several days are required, hence it is advisable to perform the first body weight measurement after the holidays after a week.
Avoid prolonging the holiday season
Although it is challenging to significantly increase body weight during the three holiday days, it is possible to achieve this within two weeks. A study conducted by E. E. Helander, B. Wansinka, and A. Chieh in 2016 found that the greatest increase in body weight does not occur during the holiday season, but during the period leading up to it. It is the preparation for the holidays, the accompanying atmosphere, and the search for and trying the right foods for guests that lead to excessive calorie intake and consequently weight gain. Therefore, it is essential to return to a healthy diet after the holidays.
Create a daily schedule plan
This significantly increases the chances of returning to routine if a detailed daily schedule plan is prepared. It's beneficial to write down daily goals and appropriately portion the food supplies in the fridge, so you can use them gradually. You must take into account which products can be stored longer and which should be consumed first. If there are dishes that are part of the regular diet, not just holiday meals, they can be frozen and eaten later.
Restricting simple sugars in diet
Traditional Polish cuisine is known for its high content of simple sugars and fats. However, a person who has significantly reduced their intake of simple sugars before holidays and consumed them without restrictions during holidays, may experience hormonal imbalance. As a result, after the holidays, an increased appetite and desire for something sweet may be observed. If you give into this temptation and continue to consume large amounts of simple sugars, your body can have another rapid increase in insulin and an equally rapid drop in insulin levels. As a result, you will again quickly feel hungry and want something sweet. Such actions can lead to overconsumption of calories and consequently an increase in fat tissue. However, it is important to remember to reduce sugar gradually, a too drastic and quick reduction of this component could have the opposite effect and lead to episodes of binge eating.
Increase the intake of plant-based products
After periods of overeating during holidays, there may be instances where we feel bloated and uncomfortable. Therefore, it is advisable to consider increasing the consumption of fresh plant-based products, which are a valuable source of dietary fiber, as well as sour vegetables, which are a probiotic source. The aim is to improve digestive function and accelerate the removal of undigested food waste.
Enhancing fluid provision and curtailing salt consumption
Unfortunately, the excess holy water accumulated in the body can lead to unpleasant discomforts. Therefore, it is highly important to ensure an adequate amount of fluids (approximately 2 liters daily) and to limit salt intake (up to 5 grams per day). Maintaining a low water supply while consuming an excessive amount of salt can result in water retention in the body. It is advantageous to choose mineral water, which provides significant quantities of valuable components. An adequate water supply will also support the function of dietary fiber.
What behaviors are detrimental in regard to weight reduction?
On the website, you can find many tips on how to deal with extra pounds after the holidays. The most common are cleansing or hunger diets. Both methods are based on excessive calorie reduction, often below a person's minimum caloric requirement. Supporters of such activities believe that a low-calorie diet will cleanse the body of toxins accumulated during the holiday period, restore digestive balance, and help lose a few kilograms. However, these diets can also lead to subsequent episodes of uncontrolled eating, when after a day of fasting alone, there will be only a few things you can say about it. Many people also believe that 'if I've already broken my diet, it's all lost, I can eat anything now'. Giving up the goal is the worst of all possible solutions. What we eat has a huge impact on our well-being and health, so it's important to pay attention to the quality and quantity of the products we consume, as this is the key factor in caring for our own body. That there are deviations from the diet along the way is completely normal and natural.
Comprehensive Summary
To what extent holidays will affect your figure is entirely dependent on you. There is no need to worry if things do not go as planned. The crucial aspect is to have the ability, post-vacation, to return to healthy habits and with additional energy, execute dietary objectives.
