Hi ,

I'd like to start the 2026 edition of our newsletters with my (and my clients') realizations about healthy eating during the holidays.

1. Sometimes, it's just too much - some of us ate a little too much mindlessly because there was so much food around (and for good reason!). This made me reflect - is it possible for us to celebrate the spirit of Christmas and New Year without the overwhelming amount of food (and drinks)?

Truth is, our Noche Buena and Media Noche were "little" by typical Pinoy middle class standards - yung tipong ubos na kinaumagahan. We didn't care if it looked "kulang" for the social media. Surprisingly, we had one of the most peaceful, meaningful and memorable holidays in a long while. I thought, maybe, we can minimize the overwhelm, expenses and extra calories with just preparing food and drinks that are just enough.

2. Awareness and a simple guide helped - this is one thing a client shared. She's been dreading going home to the Philippines because she knows that her efforts to eat healthy last year will be derailed. She expected that foods will be indulgent and with less healthy options. But she was surprised that, following the simple plate guide (aka Pinggang Pinoy), she was able to manage her serving portions and made conscious efforts to eat veggies (ordered sa restaurant, volunteered to cook Chopsuey). I asked her "Did the Pinggang Pinoy hovering in your head took away the fun and made you feel bad for not fully enjoying the foods?" She answered - NO - in fact, she felt happier because she no longer felt that dreaded guilt when she used to overeat during the holidays.

3. The holidays are also about rest - Some of my clients continued working or partied hard during the holidays to the point of exhaustion - mentally and physically. As a result, some started the year with cough, colds, and body pains (flu season it is!). Looking back, while others worked the days and partied the nights away, I stepped back from coaching and content creation and took my break seriously - intentionally got my sleeping routine on track, worked on hobbies and stopped being anxious about work and business.

So, maybe instead of when are we going to START a diet, maybe we should also think about STOPPING the things that drain us? This may give us time to breathe and face the new year with a clear headspace.

This is what we do in coaching - helping people reflect on their actions/behaviors/eating patters, dig deeper with no judgement and commit to taking positive actions moving forward - and repeat - until we reach our shared goals.

I hope you also take the time to recognize your wins (good job self), reflect on the things you need to improve on and commit to doing better today.

Manifesting a healthier 2026 for all of us. Cheers!

Grace Banal, RND