A Healthy, Happy Christmas Holiday Starts with Self-Care
- Sonia McIndoe
- 12 minutes ago
- 7 min read
Every December, I tell myself the same thing - this year will be different.
I won’t get swept up in the Silly Season chaos. I’ll stay grounded, make mindful choices, I’m not going overboard with decorations, gifts or food, and I’m definitely not letting food noise run the show.
And yet… just a few Christmas’s ago there was the year of the gingerbread men.
Those cute innocent looking little biscuits caused absolute carnage. I told myself, “It’s just one,” but one turned into a few, turned into ten, turned into 3 batches and by March I was up two dress sizes, and left wondering how my sugar dragon had not only gotten free but had taken full control.
My life lesson? Never trust a gingerbread man!
That experience taught me something huge - I can’t just wing it through the festive season.
If I want to stay aligned with how I want to be, how I want to feel, I need a plan that’s actually workable and that includes as much as possible being surrounded by food, drink, and choices that serve me.
Plan Christmas and the Festive Season Ahead with Intention
Planning doesn’t mean restriction.
For me, it’s about self-respect and peace of mind.
I know that if I show up at a party starving, tired and out of alignment, being greeted with delicious grazing platters, is going to end up with me eating mindlessly. So now, I have something nourishing before I go, even if it’s just a quick protein shake. Plus, if I can, I take a plate so I know there’s an option that supports me. Usually curried eggs & or my protein bliss balls, they are quick ‘n easy to whip up and I love them - actually everybody loves them.
Last year, the best thing I did was to schedule quiet days between social events and planned family get togethers - time for me to truly fill my cup. Sitting for hours under the vines sipping on cold sparkling water, with my hubby, I enjoyed as much time as I could in nature soaking up every ounce of the good feels. I did heaps of journalling, reflecting on the past year and putting my future dreams and plans on paper - I’m looking forward to these reset days more than anything else over the holiday period if I’m honest.
Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”... I like to reframe that to something gentler - “By preparing, you are setting yourself up to feel calm and in control.”
I’ve worked too hard and come too far to let the festive season pull me back into old habits like the gingerbread days.
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Eat to Nourish, Not Punish
Once upon a time, I believed the holidays were a free-for-all. I’d have “a little of everything” the cheese platter, the nibbles and absolutely the desserts. I’d tell myself - I’ll sort it out in January.
Spoiler alert: that never ever worked.
Now, I see this season so differently. The real fun is about the connection with the people I care about. I make this my central focus, and the food is peripheral.
We are so lucky it’s summer, protein and salads are always on the table, along with berries and fresh fruits.
I still enjoy all my festive favourites, panforte for example but I do it very consciously. None of us want to live a life without these special occasion treats, but Christmas Day is ONE day. I tune into my body and ask, Will this serve me?
My personal non-negotiables - my Love Lines are crystal clear at this time of year:
• No secret eating. I’m not Secret Santa!
• Christmas is one day, not a three-week binge.
• Food is part of the celebration, but not the whole show.
When I honour these boundaries, I don’t feel deprived - I feel free because I’m no longer trying to soothe guilt with more food.
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Mind Your Mind
Because of the extra stress at this time of year, I add in extra self care over the holiday season.
I slow life down, and deliberately create moments of calm before chaos - doing things like stepping outside barefoot with my morning cuppa, lighting a candle in the evening, or simply taking three deep, grounding breaths before walking into a crowded room.
It’s so important to be able to say no without guilt, and prioritise spending time doing what you want to do whether it’s a quiet hour pottering in the garden or doing something creative with your hands. It’s about turning down the noise so your nervous system can exhale.
These micro-moments of stillness help you reconnect with yourself and soften the stress response. Remember that you deserve peace just as much as productivity.
I don’t love exercising at the best of times, but I certainly don’t move during the holidays to “burn off” food anymore. I move for my MIND.
A quick walk after lunch with the dogs, a long gentle stroll in our surrounding bush with Guy after dinner, boogieing down while cooking dinner, or a stretch before bed - these tiny moments of movement regulate my nervous system and help me handle the emotions that often come with this season.
Because let’s be honest - Christmas can bring up a lot.
Family tension, social overwhelm, loss, or loneliness.
Movement my way, helps me discharge the stress, stay grounded, and show up calmer.
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Protect Your Energy
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that self-care is about saying yes to myself, not everything else.
I used to push through exhaustion, saying yes to every invite, every event, every expectation. Now, I’ve learned that boundaries are love.
Sometimes that means leaving a party early. Sometimes it’s saying no altogether. And sometimes it’s just giving myself permission to rest without guilt.
Boundaries aren’t barriers. They’re love lines that protect my peace, presence, and the version of me I actually like being around.
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When Things Don't go to Plan
Even with the best intentions, life happens.
If I find myself slipping into old patterns, I don’t spiral anymore.
Instead, I pause and use my Stop - Drop - Feel - THINK tool:
• Stop: Notice the urge before acting.
• Drop: Drop into my body - what’s happening inside me right now?
• Feel: Allow the emotion or craving to be there.
• THINK: Choose what serves me next, not what sabotages me.
This gentle reset has changed everything. It reminds me that self-sabotage isn’t a lack of willpower - it’s my nervous system seeking comfort.
When I respond with kindness instead of criticism, my brain learns that I’m safe and that I can be trusted.
Choose What Serves You
So as the holidays approach, I bring one question to the front of my mind:
Does this serve me - or sabotage me?
That question has saved me countless times.
Because the truth is, the festive season isn’t just about the food.
It’s about laughter, connection, relaxation, and gratitude.
The gingerbread men might still be there - but so is my awareness, my self-respect, and my plan.
This year, I’ll enjoy the celebrations, but I’ll also protect the peace I’ve worked so hard to build. Because when we choose what truly serves us, we end the year with confidence - not regret.
Join me for a free webinar!
So, I’ll leave you with a warm invitation to my 8 Fundamentals FREE webinar where I share my daily to-do list and how I actually manage my bariatric journey day by day.
It’s in an ‘hour of power’ where I squeeze a lot of valuable information for you into the 60 minutes on Zoom - totally for free.
Ready for more? Let's do the groundwork together in small group coaching via Zoom, so you can join from anywhere in New Zealand.
About Sonia McIndoe
Hi! I'm Sonia, a NZ Bariatric Life Coach, who has had weight loss surgery and maintained a 70kg weight loss for over a decade. I walk the walk and have dealt with my own regain by continuing to use and hone my own fundamentals and strategies, which I share with you. Like you, I struggled with my weight...
I actually struggled with my weight my entire life. At 5 years of age my ballet teacher told me “I danced like a baby elephant”. I yo-yo dieted my way to a body I loathed and had given up on. Food was my friend - but it was a love/hate relationship. In many ways it saved me, but it was also slowly killing me.
I wasn’t convinced even Weight Loss Surgery would work for me … why would it when nothing else had!
More than 10 years post Weight Loss Surgery later and still several dress sizes smaller, I am the happiest I have ever been.
You can have the success you dream of too. I am so passionate about sharing how, that I work full time as a Bariatric Coach.
I credit my Weight Loss Surgery with my 70kg weight loss, but keeping it off, I credit to doing the mind work. It’s this mind work that I teach in my Mind Empowerment coaching programmes.
The Mind Empowerment Programme
Sonia McIndoe's coaching programme is called Mind Empowerment and starts with a free one hour webinar, "The 8 Fundamentals for Bariatric Success".
The next stage is "Mind Empowerment" group coaching by Zoom, followed by Stay on Track.
One on one individual coaching is also available. Sonia coaches live via Zoom, so you can be anywhere in New Zealand and access help from her as your weight loss coach.
Find out more at www.mindempowerment.co.nz
