Podcast Summary

Podcast: Healthier World with Quest Diagnostics
Episode: Actions from Insight: Spotlight on Healthy Holidays
Release Date: December 22, 2025
Host: Mason, Quest Diagnostics
Guest: Patty Bianchi, Registered Dietitian & Certified Diabetes Educator
Episode Duration: 24 minutes

Main Theme

This special holiday episode focuses on realistic, evidence-based strategies to help individuals maintain cardiometabolic health while still enjoying the celebrations, food, and routines of the holiday season. Mason and guest Patty Bianchi discuss practical tips to navigate holiday stressors, including food temptations, disrupted routines, and emotional challenges, with an emphasis on moderation, mindfulness, and self-kindness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Double-Edged Sword of the Holidays

• Magic vs. Stress: Holidays bring opportunities for connection, joy, and tradition, but also pressure, stress, disrupted routines, rich foods, travel, and sleep loss. (01:12–02:16)
• Stat: 63% report feeling too much pressure during the holidays.
• Common Pitfalls: Overconsumption of sweets/alcohol, irregular meals, loss of routines, and subsequent impacts on weight and cardiometabolic numbers (LDL, ApoB, A1C, etc.).

“People are generally eating out more… this leads to this overconsumption of salt, sweets, alcohol, and unfortunately, that can show on the scale, our waistline, and also, unfortunately, maybe in our 2026 cardiometabolic test numbers.”
— Patty Bianchi (03:36)

Understanding Holiday Weight Gain

• Fact check:
  • Average weight gain over the holidays: 0.8 lbs–2 lbs.
  • Those already overweight/with obesity are most at risk for greater gain. (03:53–04:23)
• Big Picture: Best prevention is to “not gain it in the first place”—easier said than done!

Navigating Holiday Treats and Sugar

• All-or-Nothing Myth: Restrictive avoidance backfires; mindful indulgence is better. (05:41–07:54)
• Choice Architecture:
  • Prioritize unique, seasonal treats (e.g., grandma’s pie) over everyday, less-special sweets.
  • Savor and notice feelings after eating—be aware of how overeating feels physically/emotionally.
• Guilt-free Enjoyment: Enjoy indulgence without regret; guilt and shame don’t help long-term change.

"I think first and foremost is we need to ditch that all or nothing mentality, right? Complete avoidance restriction is hard and ultimately that just leads to overeating when we finally give in to that sweet treat."
— Patty Bianchi (06:17)

“Indulge without regret. The holidays are a once in a year time to enjoy your favorite treats. So allow yourself that indulgence because guilt, shame, it just doesn't help us all in the long run.”
— Patty Bianchi (07:42)

Mindful Eating at Holiday Meals

• Don’t Skip Meals (08:24): Avoid the “bank calories for later” trap (it backfires with overeating).
• Physical Environment: Sit away from buffet/food tables—out of sight, out of mind.
• Practical Tips:
  • Pop a mint or chew gum after eating to prevent mindless picking.
  • "Observe before you serve": Check all food options first, make a plan, and commit.
  • Wait 20 minutes before second helpings to check true fullness.
  • Build plates around fiber and protein—consider veg first, portions of favorites second.
  • Practice mindful eating: Slow down, pay attention to flavors and hunger cues, set utensils down between bites.

"Did you know that it does take 20 minutes for your stomach to talk to your brain and say, hey Patty, hey Mason, I'm getting full, I don't need anymore."
— Patty Bianchi (10:48)

“Pay attention to the flavors, the smells, the textures of the food you’re eating…even at a busy dinner party, you can work on setting your utensil down every couple bites to really fully enjoy the food.”
— Patty Bianchi (12:03)

Handling Holiday Alcohol Consumption

• Set a Limit: Decide in advance how much or if you’ll drink at each event. (13:41)
• Pace Yourself: Alternate alcoholic drinks with sparkling water or other non-alcoholic choices.

Managing Emotional and Social Pressures

• Learn to Say No: Overcommitting exacerbates stress—decline invitations that don’t bring genuine joy. (15:10–16:26)
• Embrace Imperfection: Holidays don’t need to replicate the past—it's OK for traditions to change.
• Financial Boundaries: “The sentiment behind the gift is more important than the cost.”
• Self-Care: Carve out time for activities you personally enjoy, even if simple.
• Gratitude Practice: Small daily reflection questions can boost mental well-being and physical health (e.g., sleep, blood pressure).

"Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no really just leaves us feeling overwhelmed...try saying yes to the events and the things that will bring you joy, not just because it makes somebody else happy."
— Patty Bianchi (15:36)

“The sentiment behind the gift is more important than the cost.”
— Patty Bianchi (16:59)

“Research shows us that practicing gratitude just has so many benefits for our health...”
— Patty Bianchi (17:32)

Staying Physically Active During the Holidays

• Plan Ahead (travel, access to gyms, outdoors, resistance bands).
• Keep It Simple: Mini-workouts, household movements, YouTube videos—“don’t overthink it.” (19:00–22:44)
• Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis ("NEAT"): Every step and movement matters, from pacing on the phone to taking stairs at the mall.
• Schedule Exercise: Treat workouts as calendar events for accountability.
• Progress Over Perfection: “Don’t let optimal get in the way of beneficial.” (22:44)

“Every little bit counts…shift your mentality into I’m doing what I can with what I have and feel good about that.”
— Patty Bianchi (20:58)

Final Thoughts and Takeaways

• Simple Focus: Choose one or two tips to focus on—don’t try to overhaul everything at once. (23:13)
• Shift Attention: Food matters, but so do connection, laughter, and rest; give yourself grace if things aren’t perfect.
• Health is a Journey: One season doesn’t define you.

“Being healthy is a journey, and one season doesn’t define your success.”
— Patty Bianchi (23:49)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “The best way to handle weight gain during the holiday is to really not gain it in the first place. I know, I know. Easier said than done, that’s for sure.” — Patty Bianchi (04:23)
• “Some of these special drinks, for example the Starbucks Tall Peppermint Mocha, contains as much added sugar as approximately 9 Oreos. Wow, that’s insane to think about.” — Mason (04:46)
• “Don’t let optimal get in the way of beneficial…progress is progress, movement is movement.” — Mason (22:44)
• “Give yourself some grace. So if you let some of your healthy habits slip this holiday season, you don’t need to feel shame.” — Patty Bianchi (23:47)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | Key Topics | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------| | 01:12 | Holiday Challenges | Stressors, schedules, routines, stats | | 03:36 | Food/Sweets Exposure & Health Risk | Overeating, metabolic risks, average weight gain | | 05:41 | Navigating Sugar and Holiday Treats | All-or-nothing thinking, mindful indulgence | | 08:24 | Mindful Eating Strategies | Skipping meals, food environment, eating tips | | 10:48 | Portion Control & Fullness | 20-min rule, hunger cues | | 13:41 | Alcohol Moderation | Limits, pacing, alternate drinks | | 15:10 | Managing Holiday Stress | Saying no, embracing imperfection, gratitude | | 19:00 | Physical Activity During Holidays | Planning, NEAT, scheduling, moving more | | 22:44 | “Optimal vs. Beneficial” | Mindset shift, progress over perfection | | 23:13 | Final Thoughts | Focus, grace, health journey |

Tone & Style

Friendly, encouraging, and highly practical. The episode is full of empathy for common holiday struggles and grounds its advice in evidence-based, simple habits that listeners can feel empowered to adopt—without guilt or overwhelm.

In Summary

This holiday episode provides an accessible, supportive guide for thriving (not just surviving) the holiday season. The hosts encourage listeners to practice moderation, savor traditions, and shift their focus from perfection to gratitude and well-being. Even incremental change, they remind us, matters—each step, each mindful meal, each instance of self-kindness is progress.