The December Fitness Gameplan: Staying Sane, Healthy & Human When the Tinsel Hits the Fan
- Ryan Dutton
- 18 hours ago
- 5 min read
Fit Dads Podcast – Episode Breakdown
When December rolls around, you can almost feel the collective wobble in the air.
Cold mornings.
Office parties.
Kids’ nativity chaos.
Random tubs of Celebrations appearing like landmines.
That tiny voice whispering, “Just start again in January, mate…”
And suddenly, the best-laid fitness plans crumble faster than a mince pie under toddler pressure.
But this week on the Fit Dads Podcast, Brad and I tackled December head-on — the chaos, the calories, the carnage — and laid out a proper December Fitness Gameplan designed to help you stay on track without spending the month chewing lettuce in the corner while everyone else enjoys the holidays.
December isn’t about perfection.
It’s about presence, perspective, and having a plan before the tinsel hits the fan.
Let’s get into it.
Setting the Scene: December Madness & The Big Question — “Do I need a deficit?”
We kicked things off with some classic December facts — shorter days, worse weather, stress levels up, motivation down — and the first big question people ask every year:
“Do I actually need to stay in a calorie deficit in December?”
In short:
No. Not unless you want to.
December is about managing the chaos, not doubling it.
The better question is:
“What’s my plan?”
Are you aiming to:
maintain your weight?
gain strength?
keep active?
or simply avoid feeling like a hungover Christmas pudding by January 2nd?
The people who struggle the most are the ones who just wing it.
The people who win December are the ones who go into it with a strategy — even a loose one.
Beware the “Black Hole”
Ah, the infamous black hole between Christmas and New Year.
Time stops existing.
No one knows what day it is.
You have a beer at 11am “because it’s Christmas.”
The kids survive entirely on turkey sandwiches and chocolate coins.
And you — if you’re not careful — can undo an entire year of momentum out of sheer routine collapse.
We talked about why Thursday Christmas Days are especially lethal (longer weekends… more opportunities for chaos) and why the black hole catches so many people out: not the calories, but the loss of structure.
The fix?
Not perfection — but anchors.
Small habits that keep the week from slipping into total anarchy.
The December Fitness Toolkit: Steps, Mindless Eating & the HALT Rule
Let’s talk practicality.
1. When December gets busy… walk more.
Steps are your December superpower.
You might not always have time for a gym session, but you can walk:
on your lunch break
while on calls
to the shop
around the block at night
during “I need to escape my family for 10 minutes” moments
Walking is calorie burn, stress relief, and therapy rolled into one.
2. Mindless eating is December’s silent killer.
It’s not the Christmas dinner that gets you — it’s:
the biscuits at work
the leftover Quality Street
the random buffet at the school fair
the “just one more” sausage roll
We talked about HALT —
Before you eat, ask if you’re:
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
Most December snacking happens because of the last one.
3. Go hands-off on Christmas Day.
Of course!
Enjoy the food.
Enjoy the drink.
Enjoy the day.
No tracking. No guilt.
One day isn’t the problem.
It’s when one day becomes twelve.
Gym Sessions, Social Sessions & The Christmas Eve “10-Pint Challenge”
We talked about why December gym sessions need to be flexible.
Focus on:
full-body workouts
shorter sessions
doing something, not everything
If you’re struggling to get yourself there, turn gym days into social sessions.
Go with a mate.
Make it a catch-up.
Use the gym as an excuse to escape Elf playing on loop.
And yes — we addressed my annual Christmas Eve 10-pint challenge, which I will absolutely not be endorsing as a fitness strategy.
But we laughed about it anyway because… traditions.
Festive Fish Pies, Panto Season & Other December Nonsense
You know the podcast wouldn’t be complete without some festive detours:
Brad’s panto obsession
My questionable festive fish pie
Christmas nails
The classic matching pyjamas debate
Christmas Eve boxes getting more ridiculous every year
But woven between the nonsense was something more serious…
December Isn’t Easy for Everyone
Not everyone loves this month.
For some people, December highlights:
loneliness
social pressure
financial strain
family tension
grief
or just feeling overwhelmed
We made it clear:
If you’re struggling, reach out.
Tell someone.
Message a mate.
Send the text.
Say you need a chat.
That’s not weakness — that’s strength.
Sometimes the most important lift you’ll ever make is picking up the phone.
Sleep: December’s Forgotten Fitness Hack
Sleep quality takes a beating in December.
Late nights.
Alcohol.
Stress.
Kids off school.
Social events.
But sleep influences:
your mood
your cravings
your energy
your decision-making
your workouts
Better sleep = better choices.
Sometimes the most heroic thing you can do for your fitness in December is get yourself to bed before midnight.
Family, Food & Finding Perspective
At the heart of this episode was a simple message:
December is about family, not fat loss.
We talked about:
spending proper time with loved ones
the “one present” rule to keep Christmas sane
keeping traditions alive without bankrupting yourself
prioritising presence over pressure
Fitness shouldn’t dominate your entire December.
It should support it.
Why You Shouldn’t “Wait Until January”
Here’s the truth bomb we dropped toward the end:
January is not a reset button.
If you neglect everything for 4–6 weeks, January becomes:
harder
heavier
more stressful
and far less enjoyable
But if you start now — even with tiny habits — you enter January with:
momentum
confidence
structure
and far less guilt
You don’t have to crush December.
You just have to survive it well.
Final Thoughts: Your December Fitness Gameplan
December doesn’t have to be a write-off.
It also doesn’t need to be a military-style operation where you track every calorie while your nan offers you her fifth serving of trifle.
The sweet spot is in the middle.
Here’s your Fit Dads Gameplan:
Walk more
Eat mindfully
Sleep better
Go hands-off on Christmas Day
Lean on people
Focus on family
Keep perspective
And start small, but start in December, not after it
Because staying on track in December isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about staying present.
Staying human.
And staying consistent enough that January doesn’t hit you like a rogue Quality Street tin to the face.
Ryan
Personal trainer Sheffield
Online coach
Check out the full episode on Apple Podcasts here.
Here over to Spotify for the full episode here.
Or watch on YouTube here…
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