This is more than just 'another newsletter' flooding your inbox. I'm Mark Gray and I've been coaching since 2016. My newsletter 'The Wellness Report' delivers actionable tips and key insights into health, performance, & longevity, as well as sending the most up-to-date health and fitness news to 5k+ weekly readers.
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How you enjoy the festive period feeling good about yourself
Published 7 days ago • 5 min read
How to enjoy the festive period without turning January into damage control
Read time: 5 minutes
T-minus 9 days until that big fat dude in the bright red suit slides down your chimney and delivers you the goods.
I told my fianceé yesterday morning that when I was a kid, I was 100% convinced that I heard Santa on the roof.
Little 10-year-old Mark heard bells and the patter of hoofs.
To this day, I'm still not convinced that he wasn't up there.
So, while I'm not here to debate the legitimacy of dear old Kris Kringle,
I am here to share some facts about how you can successfully navigate the festive period so you feel good come January first, or at the very least Jan 2nd-3rd.
Let's get into it...
Every year, I ask my clients one simple question before Christmas:
"What have you bought me, and can I have the store credit receipt?"
Nah do I f*ck 😂
I ask them...
“How do you want this Christmas to go?”
Not how it usually goes.
Not how it went last year.
How you actually want it to go.
Most people pause.
Because up until that point, they've not thought about December intentionally.
99% of people will naturally drift into it, but drifting is exactly how December, in particular the festive period, wrecks momentum.
Here is what usually happens.
(Let me know if this sounds familiar)
Food becomes the main event, not the people.
The moderation you practised in the first week quietly disappears.
Sleep gets pushed later and later, but your wake time stays the same.
Your workouts are still getting crushed, but extra movement becomes optional.
There's no massive explosion, but rather there's a constant slide.
So by the time January arrives, people aren't motivated...
They're frustrated, bloated, and pissed off at themselves.
And do you know what?
That was me for YEARS!
Yep, for far too long, I would binge like a mother you know what over the Christmas period and come out the other side feeling like utter garbage.
I'd still smash a few workouts, but the constant drinking and sugar binges, coupled with the stagnant step count, meant that by the time I flew back to London for work, I was anything but the picture of health.
Not exactly inspirational for January gym goers when I think back to it.
Nowadays, I go into January feeling great about myself. There's zero restriction, but I'm smarter with my approach.
Anyway, the point I'm making is that I've been there and got multiple t-shirts, so the advice I'm going to give you comes straight from the horse's mouth...
1. Focus on the occasion, not the food
I love a cheeky morning Irish coffee and a box of chocolates as much as the next person, but Christmas is about people.
Somewhere along the line, food became the main event.
Every table turns into a silent competition of who can eat the most beige items, while conversations fade into the background.
Here’s the rule I live by now:
→ When you’re with people, enjoy the meal.
→ When you’re not, your standards stay high.
This instantly removes the feeling that every day is a “special day”. Because when everything is special, nothing is.
Eat the Christmas dinner. Have the dessert. Have the drink.
But do not treat every random Tuesday like it’s Christmas Day.
That’s how enjoyment turns into sabotage.
2. Win the morning before the day gets away from you
The evenings between Christmas and New Year are unpredictable. The mornings are not.
This is where people mess up.
They wait until later in the day to “see how they feel”, and by the time the dust settles, the couch has claimed another victim.
So use the morning to anchor your day.
Get up. Move your body. Go for a walk. Get some daylight. Get your steps in early.
You don't need heroic workouts. You need momentum.
Win the morning, and the rest of the day becomes much harder to derail.
3. Increase activity without trying to be an athlete
This is not the time to chase PBs or perfectly structured training programmes.
But it is the time to keep your body moving.
Daily walks are non-negotiable!
Extra movement matters more than gym sessions right now.
Family walks. Running errands around town on foot. Standing instead of sitting.
Think of it like you're keeping the engine idle rather than switching it off completely.
Most people don’t just lose fitness over Christmas; they lose the movement habits they spent so long building.
It's much easier to start hitting your 10k steps in January when you don't stop them in the first place.
4. Anchor your nutrition with one proper meal a day
Forget calories on Christmas Day.
They.
Do.
Not.
Exist.
But outside of the main event, you still need anchors.
Anchors stop you from becoming an immovable object over the festivities, while also helping you maintain that hard-earned muscle.
One solid, protein-based meal a day does wonders.
It keeps hunger under more control. It reduces the chances of grazing all afternoon. It gives your body something predictable to work with.
If you overdo it one day, do not restrict the next.
Restriction is how people turn one indulgent day into a lost week.
Just simply return to baseline. That’s it.
No punishment required. No public flogging.
Just get yourself back to 'normal' the next day and get on with life.
5. Slow everything down before going back for more
As someone who has the same chewing habits as a dog eating a piece of steak.
If you have a dog, you'll know all about this.
I p*ss you not, the gif above is a direct representation of how I eat my food 😂
I've tried to slow things down, but I'm always eating in a rush, so I end up inhaling my food like a pelican 😂
But I want you to do the very opposite of that.
Slow your eating. Chew your food. Drink water between bites. Give yourself twenty to thirty minutes before attempting seconds... and thirds.
Not because food is bad (food is delicious), but because your body is terrible at keeping up when you eat like you’re being timed.
Food isn’t going anywhere. Neither is Christmas.
You do not need to eat everything now.
This is as much a message to myself as it is to you.
Get your sh*t together Gray! 😂
Right before I let you go, here’s the big takeaway I want you to leave with.
December doesn’t need to be “won”.
→ It needs to be navigated.
If you keep the slightest layer of structure through this period, trust me, January feels a whole lot calmer, clearer, and way less bloated.
If you completely abandon it, January becomes a complete sh*t show!
Enjoy Christmas.
Enjoy the people.
Enjoy the memories.
But keep your standards above average.
That’s how you enjoy the festive period and step into the New Year feeling good about yourself.
I'll catch you next week for my second-to-last newsletter of the year ✌️
Quote for the day
“
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” - J.R.R. Tolkien
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Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any guidance related to training, nutrition, supplementation, or lifestyle is general in nature and not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.
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This is more than just 'another newsletter' flooding your inbox. I'm Mark Gray and I've been coaching since 2016. My newsletter 'The Wellness Report' delivers actionable tips and key insights into health, performance, & longevity, as well as sending the most up-to-date health and fitness news to 5k+ weekly readers.
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