Balance during the holidays is possible without turning into the person who ruins the vibe at every dinner

Maintaining balance in December doesn't require radical dieting or refusing every sweet treat offered with affection.

The secret lies in making conscious choices, respecting your body's signals and understanding that eating well also means eating with pleasure. It's not a question of saying "no" to panettone, but of not turning panettone into breakfast, snack, dessert and supper every day.

A good strategy is to maintain a minimally structured routine on the days between parties. Taking advantage of these breaks to invest in homemade food, fresh vegetables, hydration and quality sleep helps the body to rebalance itself naturally. This way, you arrive at the big events with less guilt and more willingness to enjoy them.

Another important point is to eat with presence. Enjoying what you're eating, without guilt or distraction, usually results in less exaggeration than eating "on automatic". Choose what you really want to eat, savor it calmly, and dispense with what is only there out of politeness or social pressure.

Planning also makes a difference. If you know you have a special dinner in the evening, you can opt for lighter, more nutritious meals throughout the day, without going into "compensation" or "total restriction" mode. Eating too little before an event tends to lead to overdoing it at the party. It's better to stick to regular meals and avoid extreme hunger.

One day doesn't define your health, much less your worth.