Chris gets it. Christmas is Christmas. And if you want to enjoy yourself, you absolutely can. I’d be a hypocrite if I said I don’t loosen up a little at this time of year.

On Friday, I wrote about strategies to drink throughout the holiday season and not gain fat.

Alternatively, you could decide not to give a shit for a few days and enjoy yourself.

I get that. I truly do.

Ultimately, you’re the product of your habits, not the occasions.

Any diet that can’t stand up to a few days off isn’t one worth following.

But here’s where it goes sideways for a lot of people.

The problem arises when "occasions" become a pattern. A few days turn into a week, which turns into the entire month. Suddenly, you’re waiting for January 1st to start again. You’ve been here before, haven’t you?

There's a pattern I’ve seen time and again over the years.
​People who fall into the "all-or-nothing" trap... fail.

Why?

Because life isn’t perfect. Something will always come up.
The birthday dinner, the vacation, the work trip, the Christmas party... You'll make zero progress if you throw your hands up whenever the situation isn’t ideal.

So, here’s my advice:

If you recognize yourself in this consistent "all-or-nothing" cycle, try moderation. It's your only path forward.

Moderation doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself. It means you make choices that align most of the time while still leaving room for life.

You have a Christmas dinner? Great, enjoy it guilt-free. But maybe skip the leftover cake and mince pies for the next three days.

To be successful, you've got to get comfortable navigating the grey.

The most successful clients I’ve worked with are those who:

• Accept they can’t be perfect all the time.
• Don’t beat themselves up when situations out of their control force a compromise.
• Stay focused on the things they can control.

Perfection isn’t required for progress. A good attitude is.
When things don’t go perfectly, don’t let an "excuse cascade" develop. Don’t let one missed meal or one Christmas party become a reason to blow off the whole week.

If you can master moderation, you’ll find it surprisingly freeing.

Enjoy yourself this Christmas, but don’t throw in the towel.

And if you need help figuring out how to do this sustainably, you know where to find me.

Cheers to staying on track while still living life. 🍻