Hi ,
Happy New Year. 🎉
If the last week has been full of big meals, desserts and late nights, you’re not alone.
This email is not about shame.
It’s about a simple reset so you feel better in your own body again – without punishing yourself.
THE HOLIDAY GUILT LOOP
This is what many people do in January:
Step on the scales and panic
Swear off “bad foods”
Start a strict diet or juice cleanse
Feel tired, hungry and grumpy
Give up after a few days and feel worse
The truth:
Most of the fast “weight gain” after holidays is water, food in your gut and glycogen (stored carbs), not pure body fat
You do not need to undo everything in a few days
Your body doesn’t want revenge – it wants routine
You don’t need a new you.
You just need a steady you.
WHAT REALLY MATTERS
A good reset is not about eating as little as possible.
It’s about:
Regular meals again (not all-day picking)
Protein + slow-release carbs + plants at most meals
Drinking enough water
Moving your body a bit more
Getting back to a normal sleep time
Think of it like this:
“Back to basics, not back to zero.”
You may need a reset if:
You feel heavy, bloated or very tired
Your sleep has been all over the place
You’ve been living on leftovers, treats and random snacks
You feel the pull of the all-or-nothing mindset
PRACTICAL WIN: THE 3-DAY RESET PLAN
Here’s a simple 3-day plan to calm things down.
No tracking. No apps. Just structure.
For the next 3 days:
1) 3 real meals, 1 planned snack (if you need it)
At each meal, aim for:
Protein: eggs, yoghurt, chicken, fish, tofu, beans, lentils, cottage cheese
Slow-release carbs: oats, potatoes, rice, wholegrain bread, pasta, beans
Plants: vegetables or fruit (fresh, frozen or tinned in water)
A simple plate check:
A palm-sized portion of protein
A fist-sized portion of slow-release carbs
As many vegetables as you can fit on half the plate when possible
2) Water before extras
Before coffee, juice or fizzy drinks, have:
One glass of water in the morning
One glass of water with each meal
No need to chase a magic number.
Just make water your default drink again.
3) One gentle walk every day
Pick what fits your day:
10–20 minutes after a meal
A walk with family or a friend
A solo walk with a podcast
This helps:
Digestion
Blood sugar control
Mood and stress
4) Sleep: a simple lights-out rule
For 3 days, try:
Pick a rough “lights out” time and protect it
Keep screens out of your face for 30 minutes before bed
Avoid big heavy meals right before sleep
You don’t need perfect sleep.
You just need to give your body a chance.
BONUS: A KINDER WAY TO LOOK AT THE SCALES
If you step on the scales on 1st January and see a higher number, remember:
Big meals = more food in your system
More carbs and salt = more water stored
A few days of normal eating can shift a lot of this
Instead of:
“I’ve ruined everything.”
Try:
“My body is just holding more water and food right now.
I’m going back to simple habits and letting it sort itself out.”
Your value is not in a number.
The power is in the habits you repeat, not the days you “mess up”.
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A simple weekly meal plan
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So you can:
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👉 Try gbMeals free for 14 days
No pressure, no crash diet – just structure that makes “back to basics” easy.
Got questions about your own reset plan, what to eat this week, or how to make this fit your family?
Reply to this email – I read every message personally.
See you next week,
Gabriel, Nutrition Hacks | gbMeals
P.S. Next Thursday: How to build a “snack drawer” that actually keeps you full (and doesn’t blow your goals in the first week of January).