How do I stay on track during the holidays?

Start with your floor. On Ep. 313, Nikkiey calls these your non-negotiables: protein every meal, your water, moving your body, sleep boundaries, and staying honest with your coach instead of going quiet. On Ep. 317 she suggests choosing one to three minimums and making them realistic. If you normally train five times a week but December only allows three, she says to pull back to three. That way you are following through instead of feeling like you're failing. She also points to time management, like blocking out an hour or two in the morning for your movement and your meals.

Next, keep each holiday to one day. On Ep. 105, Nikkiey explains that many people treat Thanksgiving as the start of a slide. Their effort drops from around 90 percent to 40 percent or lower, and they wait for the new year. Her advice is to enjoy the day and then return to your normal workouts, eating and meal prep the next day. She suggests you can use some Thanksgiving food for meal prep in smaller quantities. Valerie, a client on Ep. 270, took a stricter approach: she skipped leftovers entirely. Both got back on track the next day.

Valerie used the idea of memories over macros. She enjoyed mashed potatoes, gravy and Christmas cookies without tracking, then went straight back to her plan. On Ep. 313, Nikkiey says hitting your minimums during a busy season is what rewires your identity into someone who keeps her word to herself. You don't need a perfect December, just a plan you can actually follow.