TAKING ACTION: ✅ How has your protein and fiber intake been lately? Has it been a little harder to squeeze it in with all the yummy treats? Just in case you needed a reminder (since it’s Twixmas and all)---today is Tuesday, December 30th, 2025…😉 Speaking of it being Tuesday, you know all know what that means—it’s time to talk about our nutrition and share another healthy and delicious recipe! 🎉 It’s no secret that we focus heavily on the importance of protein in this space. It’s easy to allow your protein consumption to fall to the wayside during the holiday season, as most holiday meals and treats are both carb and fat-heavy. This week, I want you to focus on getting back into the swing of things when it comes to protein. It will make next week (and the weeks/months thereafter) much easier if you go ahead and get back into a healthy routine now. 💯 Protein from animal sources can be highly beneficial. Animal sources (e.g., meat, eggs, dairy, fish) are complete proteins, providing all nine essential amino acids, which are critical for protein synthesis. ALWAYS make sure quality of meat is priority with ORGANIC chicken, GRASS-FED beef and WILD CAUGHT fish :) Protein synthesis helps repair tissues properly, fight infections, and, you guessed it—build muscle! Of course, there are other ways to meet your protein goal if you simply can’t consume enough via animal sources (or if you’re vegan/vegetarian)! In the meantime, check out this website full of recipes with 25+ grams of protein each! 50+ High Protein Dinner Ideas to Keep You Full! | The Clean Eating Couple

TAKING ACTION: ✅ Did you know the week between Christmas and New Year’s is called Twixmas? Let’s have a little fun today—does Twixmas feel disorienting to you? If so, why? We’ve officially entered the strangest week of the year—the week between Christmas and New Year’s. (Did you know this time period has been named Twixmas?) It’s the season when we don’t know what to do, what day of the week it is, and if we should clean up our nutrition now or wait until after the new year. If you know, you know…😉 The next several days are often tricky because we’ve likely been out of our regular routines lately. Our bodies, brains, and cravings might be a bit confused this week. If you’ve been eating more lately, your stomach may growl a little more than usual. If you’ve been eating more sugar lately, your brain will crave it a little more for a few days. If you haven’t been exercising lately, you may have to dig deep into your discipline bag this week. What I want you to take away from this message is this: It’s okay. It’s okay if you’re a little hungrier, your cravings are a little stronger, and you have to rely on stronger discipline this week. If you plan for these things to happen, they won’t surprise you. You’ll expect them and already have an action plan in place. 🙌 When you work through potential scenarios ahead of time, you stand a better chance of being in control 💯: ✅ If you feel hungrier than usual, it’s okay to eat a little earlier. Intermittent fasting isn’t all or nothing, and it’s perfectly acceptable to work your way back into your regular eating schedule. Challenge yourself, but don’t allow yourself to get too hungry. ✅ When a craving hits, choose protein + fiber first. It isn’t the most fun option, but if you choose protein + fiber, and wait 20 minutes, your craving will subside! ✅ When a sugar craving hits all of a sudden, your blood sugar is probably dropping, per holistic nutritionist Elissa Goodman. “To keep your blood sugar balanced, eat a healthy amount of protein and add more high-fiber foods, like beans and legumes, to your diet, along with complex carbs. This will give you the fuel you need without the blood sugar spikes.” If you’re craving chocolate specifically, you likely may be deficient in magnesium. Eat more almonds, flaxseed, edamame, quinoa, or black beans to increase your magnesium.

TAKING ACTION: ✅ Does your family celebrate the New Year in a big way? Or are you in bed at your regular time? Let’s wrap up the week by participating in the comments below today! Coming up next: the New Year. 🎉 We’ve almost made it through the holiday season, friends; however, the New Year is a holiday that many of you celebrate—and celebrate big! Some of us our in our pajamas by 9:00 PM on NYE, but some of us like to ring in the New Year! Even if food choices aren’t as big a struggle on this particular holiday, there is another topic we need to discuss because it’s often consumed on New Year’s Eve— And that’s alcohol. 🥂 If you plan to have a few cocktails over the next few days, it’s best to plan for them ahead of time. Tracking alcohol is a little different than tracking your macros, and it’s important to know that you can’t simply rely on the label. If you need more information about how to track alcohol, check out this in-depth article below. The article also contains a few alcohol cheat sheets for your benefit! 🥂 How To Track Alcohol Macros | Lauren Fit Foodie

TAKING ACTION: ✅ What’s your favorite treat to enjoy during the holiday season? Let’s have a little fun in the comments below! You know I love giving you healthy, delicious recipe ideas every Tuesday—but let’s be real—all we’re thinking about today is what we’re going to eat over the next several days. Am I right or am I right? 😉 With that in mind, I want to give you some healthy Christmas treat ideas today. While we all have different tastes and preferences when it comes to our cravings, the truth is that sugary sweets have a stronghold on many people. That's because processed sugar is highly addictive. It's why some (okay, most) people can't just have one cookie, one bite, etc. Processed sugar creates a massive dopamine dump, and therefore, your brain wants to find (and consume) more sugar! If you know sugar is a struggle for you, but still want to enjoy a sweet treat, try creating a recipe that uses alternative sweeteners like fruit, maple syrup, honey, or dark chocolate. Check out the recipes below and find one that will satisfy your holiday cravings! 🍪 https://thehealthyfoodie.com/25-healthy-christmas-treats-recipe-roundup/

“Your body can stand almost anything. It’s your mind that you have to convince.” ~Andrew Murphy TAKING ACTION: ✅ After reading today’s post, have you noticed a difference in any of the brain changes listed below that typically improve because of regular exercise? Share with us below! ✅ Remember to go all in with our FITMAS Challenge! You’re improving your mind and body! This week, we’re talking about why fitness is so important when it comes to your health & wellness journey. Just in the last couple of weeks, we discussed your metabolism—and how muscle is one of the most important factors to consider for your metabolic health. With that said, you already know your fitness journey is important because when you strength train, you’re building muscle—and metabolic health! 💪 But aside from that, why else is it important? Well, friends, that’s an answer that would take me a lifetime to write about. The benefits of working out are too numerous to cover in one week; therefore, I will do my best to break them down for you this week. One reason your fitness journey matters so much is because of its effect(s) on your brain! 🧠 Here are the three most common and well-researched positive effects that regular exercise has on your brain: 🧠 Improved Mood & Reduced Depression/Anxiety 🧠 Sharpened Memory, Focus & Cognitive Function 🧠 Strong Protection Against Brain Aging & Neurodegenerative Diseases For the sake of time, we’ll get into this topic a little deeper tomorrow, but as you can see, the benefits exercise has on your brain are serious matters, friends. It’s about more than building a great body. It’s about more than building healthy muscle tissue. Exercise and fitness play a huge role in the health of your brain—and your brain is your most powerful weapon! 💯 FITMAS CHALLENGE DAY 3: Wall Push-Ups• 8–12 reps• 3 sets Hands on wall, body angledUpper body + core without wrist strain