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Following the Wahls Protocol is challenging on a normal day. Add in the holidays with their indulgent meals and sweet treats, and it can feel downright impossible. When everyone around you is enjoying cookies, stuffing, and rich holiday dishes, you might start questioning if it’s worth sticking to your food plan. Should you just enjoy the season and get back on track in the New Year?

That question comes up for so many of us. And the answer isn’t just about food. It’s about how you want to feel.

My First Holiday on the Wahls Protocol

I still remember my first Christmas after starting the Wahls Protocol. It felt like every room I entered had a spread of foods I loved but couldn’t eat anymore. I watched everyone else enjoy their favorites while I sat with my smoothie and salad. It was more than a craving. It was grief. Grieving the freedom I had before my diagnosis and the connection I felt to family traditions centered around food.

At that point, what kept me committed was fear. I didn’t know what would happen if I ate off plan. Would my symptoms return? Would I trigger a flare? I didn’t want to find out. So I stayed compliant, not because I felt empowered, but because I was scared.

Over time, I realized that fear is not a sustainable motivator. What I needed was a shift in mindset. That’s what I want to share with you today.

1. Focus on Progress Over Perfection

Let go of the all-or-nothing mindset. The Wahls Protocol is not about being perfect. It is about creating habits that help you feel your best. Instead of stressing about hitting 9 cups of vegetables every single day, try:

• Adding one more cup than you did yesterday
• Making space for greens on your holiday plate
• Drinking a smoothie three times a week

Progress builds momentum. And when you feel like your goal is within reach, your brain looks for more ways to keep moving forward. One small action at a time helps you stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed.

2. Pay Attention to How You Feel

Your body is always giving you feedback. Use it. When you eat something nourishing, how do you feel afterward? When you eat something that doesn’t sit well, how long does it take for symptoms to show up?

Instead of judging your choices, observe them. Take note of how your digestion, mood, energy, and sleep respond to different foods. That feedback is far more powerful than willpower alone.

If leafy greens make you feel more energized, that is a motivation booster in itself. When you start to connect your choices to real results, it becomes easier to make the next good choice.

3. Drop the Guilt

You might have a moment where you eat more sugar than you planned. Or maybe you skipped your supplements or didn’t move your body for a few days. That’s okay.

Guilt keeps you stuck in the past. It focuses on what went wrong instead of what you can do next. It also drains the very energy you need to make a change.

If you had more cookies than planned, freeze the rest. If you skipped your greens, plan to blend a smoothie tomorrow. Each new day is a fresh chance to support your healing.

Awareness is not failure, It’s progress. The more you notice what doesn’t work for you, the more empowered you become to choose differently moving forward.

Keep It Simple

Consistency comes from starting small. Choose one realistic goal this holiday season and stick with it. Maybe it is having a green smoothie three times a week. Maybe it is walking for 10 minutes each morning. Whatever it is, make it doable.

Motivation doesn’t show up before action. It grows after action. When you take a small step and feel better, that good feeling becomes your new motivation.

So don’t wait until the New Year. Take one small step today. Your body will thank you for it.

Want More Encouragement Like This?
Tune into this week’s special episode of My MS Podcast: How to Stay Motivated with the Wahls Protocol During the Holidays and Listen now to My MS Podcast.