Hey there, sports parents! Gaspar here from HEROS Training System!
Thanksgiving is over. The turkey's gone. The leftovers are fading. And now you're looking at the next four weeks: December holidays, family gatherings, competitions, school finals, and more temptations than you can count.
Here's the reality: This week (the week after Thanksgiving) is the most critical week of your entire holiday season.
Why? Because what you do RIGHT NOW sets the tone for everything that follows. If you nail this week, you build momentum that carries your athlete through Christmas, New Year's, and beyond. If you let it slide, you're setting up a domino effect that's hard to recover from.
I've watched young athletes lose an entire season's worth of progress in December because they didn't have a plan for the week after Thanksgiving. But I've also watched athletes come out of the holidays stronger, faster, and more confident than when they went in.
The difference? A clear, intentional strategy.
Let me show you exactly what to do this week to set your athlete up for success through the rest of the holiday season.
Why This Week Matters More Than You Think
Think of the week after Thanksgiving as a reset button.
You just had a holiday meal. Your athlete experienced what it's like to enjoy special foods, celebrate with family, and live a little. That's good. That's healthy. That's teaching balance.
But now, if you don't intentionally return to that solid nutritional foundation we talked about in our last post, something happens: The "one meal" becomes "one week" becomes "one month" becomes "I've lost all my progress."
This is the exact moment where consistency matters most.
Your athlete's body is primed. They've trained hard all season. Their muscles are ready to recover and grow. Their energy systems are tuned. But if you don't fuel them properly this week, you're wasting all that hard work.
This week is where champions are built.
The Post-Thanksgiving Reset: 5-Day Foundation Plan
Let's break down exactly what this week looks like. I'm giving you a day-by-day framework that rebuilds momentum and prepares your athlete for the December chaos ahead.
Friday (Day 1 After Thanksgiving):
This is the most important day. This is where you either reset or derail.
- Breakfast: Balanced meal (eggs with whole-grain toast and fruit, oatmeal with berries and nuts, or smoothie with protein powder, fruit, and spinach)
- Snacks: Fruit, yogurt, nuts: back to foundation
- Lunch & Dinner: Lean protein, complex carbs, vegetables: no "leftover feast" mindset
- Hydration: Water throughout the day (helps flush out the heaviness from Thursday)
Why Friday matters: Your athlete's digestive system is still processing Thanksgiving. Getting back to balanced, whole foods helps normalize digestion and energy levels. Don't extend the holiday eating into Friday: that's the mistake most families make.
Saturday & Sunday (Days 2-3):
These are your prep days. This is when you set up the entire week for success.
Meal Prep Strategy:
- Batch cook proteins: chicken breasts, ground turkey, fish
- Prepare grains: brown rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa
- Chop vegetables: broccoli, carrots, peppers, green beans
- Portion into containers for grab-and-go meals
Why prep now? Because next week is going to be chaos. School's wrapping up. Holiday events start. Competition schedules intensify. If meals aren't prepped, your athlete will default to convenience foods and skipped meals: the exact opposite of what you need.
Meals Saturday & Sunday: Balanced foundation meals using prepped ingredients.
Monday-Wednesday (Days 4-6):
This is where the magic happens. Your athlete is back in school. Competition schedules resume. Holiday events start popping up. But because you prepped, you're ready.
Daily Structure:
- Breakfast: Balanced meal (prepped or quick option)
- Mid-morning snack: Fruit, yogurt, or nuts
- Lunch: Prepped meal from Sunday (protein, carbs, vegetables)
- Afternoon snack: Apple with almond butter, trail mix, or Greek yogurt
- Dinner: Balanced meal (prepped or fresh)
- Hydration: Water consistently throughout the day
The Competition/Practice Reality:
If your athlete has training or competition this week:
- Pre-event meal (2-3 hours before): Balanced breakfast or lunch
- Pre-event snack (30-60 minutes before): Simple carb (banana, crackers, toast)
- Post-event recovery (within 30-60 minutes): Chocolate milk, protein shake, or yogurt with fruit
Why this structure works: You're maintaining that 80/20 rule we talked about. Most meals are foundation meals. Your athlete is fueled, recovered, and ready for whatever comes next.
The December Mindset Shift
Here's what I want you to understand about the next month:
December is NOT a month off from nutrition. It's a month of intentional balance.
You're not trying to be perfect. You're not restricting your athlete or making them feel guilty about holiday celebrations. You're teaching them something far more valuable: How to perform at their best while living a normal life.
This is the difference between athletes who burn out and athletes who thrive.
The athletes who thrive understand: ✅ Most days are foundation days (that's the baseline) ✅ Some days are celebration days (that's living) ✅ One celebration meal doesn't erase weeks of good choices ✅ Consistency over time beats perfection on any single day ✅ You can enjoy holidays AND perform at your best
This week, after Thanksgiving, is when you cement this mindset. You show your athlete: "We enjoyed Thanksgiving. Now we're back to fueling for performance. And we'll do this again at Christmas, and it will be fine."
That's the championship mentality.
The Holiday Event Strategy (Starting This Week)
December brings holiday parties, family gatherings, and celebrations. They're starting now, and they'll continue through New Year's.
Here's how to handle them without derailing:
Before the Event:
- Have your athlete eat a balanced meal (so they're not starving when they arrive)
- Remind them: "We're going to enjoy some special foods, and that's okay"
- Hydrate well throughout the day
At the Event:
- Encourage them to fill their plate with vegetables and protein first
- Let them enjoy 1-2 special items without guilt
- Keep water nearby for hydration
- Don't make it about restriction: make it about balance
After the Event:
- Return to foundation meals the next day
- No guilt, no shame, no "making up for it"
- Just get back to normal eating
Why this works: One party doesn't define your athlete's health. One dessert doesn't erase their progress. Consistency over time is what matters.
The Week-by-Week December Roadmap
To give you the bigger picture, here's how the rest of December flows:
Week 1 (Nov 28 - Dec 4): Foundation Reset
- This is the week we're talking about now
- Focus: Return to balanced meals, prep for the month ahead
- Mindset: Reset and rebuild momentum
Week 2 (Dec 5-11): Maintain & Celebrate
- Maintain foundation meals 80% of the time
- Holiday events start (parties, gatherings)
- Competition schedules may intensify
- Focus: Consistency with flexibility
Week 3 (Dec 12-18): Holiday Push
- School finals, holiday events, competitions peak
- Stress and fatigue increase
- Recovery nutrition becomes even MORE important
- Focus: Prioritize sleep, maintain foundation, don't skip meals
Week 4 (Dec 19-25): Christmas Week
- Similar to Thanksgiving: use the plate strategy
- Enjoy Christmas dinner without guilt
- Return to foundation the next day
- Focus: Celebration balanced with consistency
Week 5 (Dec 26-31): New Year's Momentum
- Return to foundation meals
- Build momentum heading into January
- Reflect on what worked during the holidays
- Focus: Consistency and progress
Common Mistakes Parents Make This Week
Mistake #1: "We'll just take a week off from healthy eating." Wrong. This week is when you reset, not when you extend the holiday. One week of poor eating can undo weeks of progress and make it harder to get back on track.
Mistake #2: "My athlete is tired from Thanksgiving. Let's skip some meals." Wrong. Skipping meals makes fatigue worse, not better. Consistent, balanced meals provide the energy and recovery your athlete needs.
Mistake #3: "We'll start fresh on Monday. This week doesn't matter." Wrong. This week IS the fresh start. What you do Friday through Sunday sets the tone for the entire month.
Mistake #4: "I don't have time to meal prep." This is the ONE week you HAVE to make time. Two hours on Sunday saves you from chaos all month. It's the best investment you can make.
Your Post-Thanksgiving Action Plan
✅ Friday: Return to balanced foundation meals (no extended leftovers) ✅ Saturday-Sunday: Batch cook proteins, grains, and vegetables ✅ Monday-Wednesday: Execute prepped meals, maintain hydration, fuel for training/competition ✅ Throughout the week: Consistent balanced meals (80% foundation, 20% flexibility) ✅ Mindset: This week resets momentum for the entire month ahead ✅ Recovery: Post-competition nutrition is non-negotiable ✅ Hydration: Water is your baseline every single day.
Looking Ahead
This week is your foundation. Get it right, and December becomes manageable. Your athlete stays strong, energized, and progressing. They enjoy the holidays without guilt. They finish the year stronger than they started.
That's the goal. That's what we're building toward.
So this week, reset. Prep. Return to foundation. And set your athlete up for a December where they perform at their best while building habits that last a lifetime.
More is not always better; better is always better.
Until next time!!!
Gaspar
Clinical Performance Specialist in Athletic Development
ACTOS Performance Innovation / HEROS Training System [HTS]
Dr. Rosario's expertise is built on a lifelong commitment to fitness as a dedicated parent and coach. He is certified by the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) in multiple advanced areas, including Weight Management, Youth Fitness Training, Fitness Nutrition Coaching, and Sports Exercise Performance Enhancement. He also holds a Doctorate in Health Sciences and is a certified Level 1 Strength and Conditioning Coach through the IUSCA with continued education through ISSA in specialized training methodologies such as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Plyometric Training Integration, and Speed / Agility.