The grand finale of your challenge is a Day 7 that can feel triumphant, joyful, and effortlessly orchestrated. Because you took intentional steps all week (shopping is done, the timeline is set & dishes are prepped), all you have to do now is finish and put together your meal. Finally… Hosting, cooking, and serving can feel smooth, allowing you to be fully present with loved ones. You can feel good that you have put together a menu that is balanced and delicious. The gift of preparation keeps giving - You can finish the holidays feeling recharged instead of depleted, knowing that you maintained traditions, food, and self-care. Celebrating yourself for a successful prep and setting the tone for a healthy, happy new year. This is something you can easily carry forward into 2026!

What’s the absolute best Christmas present? A broken drum — you just can’t beat it! What happens if you eat Christmas decorations? You get tinsel-itis.

On day 2 of this challenge, lets focus on you. Why? Because you cannot pour from an empty cup and it sets the stage for everything that follows. It is very easy to give to everyone else during the Holidays because they are important and you want everyone to feel loved and appreciated. But you are important too and that is why this exercise is meaningful. Just take 17 minutes a day for yourself and see how it helps your mindset. It is easier to pour Christmas Punch from a full cup. So get out there! It could be as simple as walking to the park down the street, taking a stroll to the coffee shop, doing some chair yoga, Tai Chi, jumping jacks, etc. The point is to get the juices flowing and do it for yourself. And this is something to continue doing through the Holidays and into the new year! The cool part about this prep is that everything I encourage you to do yourself, you can do with someone else. This is how you become a chef, because a chef is a person that teaches a skill and leads, and the student can later teach that skill to others. Ask a friend to walk with you and if they are away, you can still have a walk talking to them over the phone. There are truly no limitations to how you can connect with the ones you care about. Tomorrow we get to work on the Christmas Meal so stay tuned for that.

So I didn't prep my Christmas Prep properly and technology took me for a ride for a couple of days...so I'm going to restart Christmas Prep today. For those of you looking for healthy holiday focus, this is for you. I will post some recipes and such in addition to these posts.

How do you sleep? Do you get 7 - 8 hours? What do you do to get better sleep? Rest is essential, especially if you are active. @Pamela Igwe was talking about Magnesium and its' benefits. One benefit is as a sleep aid. I take it myself to just help me cool out mentally. And she asked the question of me : do you have any recipes? As a matter of fact I do. Magnesium is found in abundance in legumes like chickpeas, dark leafy greens like spinach & parsley, and in dairy products. So I combined all those things into a fresh salad that is very easy to make. And you can even serve it warm/room temp. I'm especially fond of the yogurt dressing. Getting more magnesium in your diet might help you sleep better and/or more soundly. Thoughts? Chickpea salad with Yogurt dressing - 2 (14 ounce) cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained - ½ cup roasted red and/or yellow peppers, chopped - ¼ cup sliced kalamata olives - ⅓ cup sliced cherry tomatoes - Small bunch of parsley, chopped - 3 scallions, chopped - 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced - zest of 1 lemon - 1 cup packed fresh baby spinach, cut into thin ribbons - Salt and pepper, to taste Method 1. In a good-sized bowl, simply combine all the ingredients. 2. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with yogurt dressing (below) CREAMY LEMON YOGURT SALAD DRESSING: - 1/2 cup plain yogurt , preferably Greek - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil - 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice - 1 tsp garlic , minced - 1 1/2 tsp sugar - 1/4 tsp black pepper - 1/2 tsp salt Method 1. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. OR use a 1 - quart Mason jar - place all ingredients inside, top, and shake. 2. Keeps up to 1 month in the fridge.