The Holiday Slippery Slope: Candy, Cookies and Prime Rib Roasts— oh my!

Halloween kicks it all off… a handful of “fun-size” treats here, a few more there. Before you know it, Thanksgiving shows up with its mashed potatoes, gravy, and pie parade. Then comes Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s, bringing even more opportunities to indulge. It’s a fun time of year, but also the easiest time to slide down the slippery slope of “I’ll start eating healthy after the holidays.”

Candy Is Dandy, But Binge Is Cringe

A little candy won’t derail your goals, but letting one night of sweets turn into a two-month binge will. Halloween candy doesn’t need to be your gateway to a holiday-long free-for-all. Enjoy a few favorites mindfully, then get right back to balanced eating the next day.

Don’t Wait for the “After”

It’s tempting to tell yourself you’ll reset after the next big event — after Halloween, after Thanksgiving, after Christmas. But stacking those “afters” only pushes your restart date further away. The best time to stay mindful is during the holidays, not after them.

Balance Over Restriction

That said, health isn’t about rigid rules. If sharing dessert with family or tasting your grandmother’s latkes is part of what makes the holidays special, honor that. Over-restriction often backfires; it creates guilt instead of balance.

Healthy Between the Holidays

You don’t need to eat perfectly all season long. Just aim to eat well between the celebrations. A week of balanced meals between holidays does far more for your body and mind than an all-or-nothing approach.

The 80/20 Rule

Remember: what you do most of the time matters more than what you do some of the time. If 80% of your choices support your health — good nutrition, regular movement, and solid sleep — that other 20% can include the holiday foods you love without throwing you off track. So this season, skip the “after the holidays” mindset. Enjoy the moments, the meals and the memories, and keep showing up for yourself in between.