The Dr. Gundry Podcast

Episode: 2025 Holiday THRIVE Guide (and how to avoid holiday weight gain) | EP 377
Date: November 11, 2025
Host: Dr. Stephen Gundry
Podcast Network: PodcastOne

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on Dr. Gundry's strategies and science-backed tips to help listeners avoid the all-too-common holiday weight gain. He frames the holidays as a period where many surrender to overeating, but he challenges his audience to flip the script—inviting them to join a holiday weight loss challenge. Dr. Gundry details both mindset shifts and practical food swaps, explores the pitfalls of seasonal indulgences, and gives actionable advice for parties, meals, and even supplement routines. Throughout the show, he and a guest nutrition expert break down ways to enjoy the festivities while staying healthy and energized.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Psychology of Holiday Overeating

Timestamp: 02:34

• The real culprit of holiday weight gain is not just a few big meals, but a mindset that gives us permission to eat poorly for two months.
• Quote:

  "We use those big eating days as an excuse to eat poorly the rest of the time. And worse, we tell ourselves it's okay because we'll make up for it in January with our New Year's resolution to stop doing what you just did for the last two months." — Dr. Gundry [02:57]

• Dr. Gundry challenges listeners to try losing five pounds between Halloween and New Year's and assures it's possible with intention and consistency.

2. Everyday Holiday Strategies

Timestamp: 03:32

• Healthy Intentions: Set daily targets and don't let one indulgent meal spiral into more.

• "I don't" vs. "I can't":

  • Adopting the identity of someone who doesn't eat certain foods (like bread), instead of feeling deprived.
    Quote:

  "She was focusing on her healthy intentions and not on feeling deprived." — Dr. Gundry on his wife Penny's bread mantra [05:28]

• Smart Pre-Party Snacking:

  • Eat a handful of healthy nuts and drink a glass of water to curb cravings before attending gatherings.
  • Filling plates intelligently (3/4 with veggies, 1/4 with proteins or indulgences) helps avoid feeling deprived while staying on track.

• Exercise Tips:

  • Stay active despite cold weather: bundle up, shovel snow, do squats while brushing teeth, or walk laps inside malls.

3. Before the Party: Setting Up for Success

Timestamp: 09:49

• Do not fast all day before a big event ("you'll just gorge").

• Pre-party snack options:

  • Handful of nuts (not peanuts or cashews in oil-laden "cocktail mix")
  • Half an avocado
  • Jicama sticks with guacamole for crunch
  • Sparkling water (e.g., San Pellegrino) with balsamic vinegar for fullness and the mouthfeel of soda.

  Quote:

  "Don't say, well, I know they're going to have handfuls of nuts and I'll just grab them when I get there because chances are it's going to be that classic cocktail mix, which is quite deadly..." — Dr. Gundry [10:36]

4. At the Party: Navigating Buffets & Tricky Foods

Timestamp: 12:30

• When bringing a dish to a party, opt for something unique and healthful (e.g., raw coleslaw with avocado dressing).

• Survey the buffet before serving, planning how to fill up with vegetables and limit room for less healthy foods.

• Foods to Avoid:

  • Eggnog (high in sugar, often from A1 milk; suggests a “hard-boiled egg with nutmeg” as a replacement).
  • Bread and sweets (“I'm a person who doesn't eat X” mantra).
  • High-sugar alcoholic beverages; opt for red wine, champagne with no sugar added, or aged spirits in moderation.
  • Manage social pressure to drink—Dr. Gundry shares the story of his father's non-alcoholic gin & tonics as a social trick:

    “He would order himself a gin and tonic, and he would take that gin and tonic back to the bartender, and the rest of the night he would be having a gin and tonic that had no gin in it.” — Dr. Gundry [17:57]

• Dilute alcohol if you do drink, and be mindful of how alcohol reduces both eating and social inhibitions.

5. After the Party: Recovery Routines

Timestamp: 23:19

• Avoid going to bed immediately after a big meal; stay up to aid digestion and prevent sleep issues (use blue-blocking glasses for screens).
• If you “screwed up,” accept it, don’t let it snowball—“get back on the horse.”
• Supplement tips:
  • Vitamin D3 is especially important when exposed to crowds or air travel.
  • Chewable, sugar-free Vitamin C tablets (taken every 4–6 hours) can help fend off illness during high-contact social periods.

6. Holiday Food Swaps and Recipe Tips

Timestamp: 26:37

• Turkey:

  • Avoid injected, grocery store turkeys (like Butterball). Seek out pasture-raised, lectin-free, or heritage breeds (e.g., from farmer Dan, Primal Pastures, Mary's Heritage Turkeys).

• Mashed Potatoes:

  • Regular potatoes are high in lectins and can cause leaky gut/brain ("a delicious lectin bomb")
  • Swap for mashed sweet potatoes, yams, or Dr. Gundry's “roasted Parmesan mashed cauliflower.”

• Green Bean Casserole:

  • Green beans and canned mushroom soups are high in lectins, unhealthy oils, and additives.
  • Suggests alternatives, such as roasted mushroom & asparagus, or using plantain chips for crunch.

• Cranberry Sauce:

  • Steer clear of canned/jellied varieties full of corn syrup. Make your own from fresh or frozen cranberries using sugar-free recipes.

• Pumpkin Pie:

  • Pumpkin is high in lectins and sugar.
  • Suggests sweet potato pie with a nut crust as a safer and equally tasty holiday dessert.

7. Holiday Drinking Advice

Timestamp: 36:56

• If you don't drink, don't start.
• If you do, choose:
  • Champagne (polyphenols, may improve memory)
  • Red wine over white (lower sugar, more resveratrol and quercetin)
  • Aged spirits for polyphenols extracted from wood
• Avoid unaged, clear spirits like vodka and gin.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On intentions:

  "Set healthy intentions each day... Accept it and move on." — Dr. Gundry [04:08]

• Perspective on Bread:

  “She was focusing on her healthy intentions and not on feeling deprived.” — Dr. Gundry [05:28]

• On Food Identity:

  “I'm a person who doesn't eat bread.” — Dr. Gundry (on Penny's strategy) [05:29]

• On Holiday Weight Gain:

  "The average person gains about 5 pounds during the holiday season and most of them never lose it." — Dr. Gundry [01:07]

• On Alcohol at Parties:

  “Yes, alcohol is a great way to reduce inhibitions ... but even though alcohol does decrease your social inhibitions and makes you a much more friendly person, it also decreases your inhibitions on going for the foods that you've already decided you're not going to do.” — Dr. Gundry [16:57]

• On forgiving a slip-up:

  “Once you fall off the horse, as I tell all my patients that just get right back on. It doesn't mean that you're a failure and this whole holiday season is down the drain.” — Dr. Gundry [24:41]

Timestamps for Important Topics

• 02:34: Mindset and the psychology behind holiday weight gain
• 05:28: Penny’s “I don’t” food mantra
• 09:49: Pre-party preparation and snacking tips
• 12:30: Buffet navigation, what to bring, and filling your plate
• 17:57 & 19:10: Alcohol and social tricks for staying moderate
• 23:19: Nighttime routines and supplement recommendations
• 26:37: Detailed holiday food swaps and best choices
• 36:56: Holiday drinking guidance and polyphenol-rich options

Listener Q&A and Review Highlights

• Mushroom Coffee Question (38:04):
  Dr. Gundry explains mushroom coffee offers some benefits of mushrooms but advises using both for maximum effect.

• Body Fat Scale Review (39:24):
  He recommends weighing in the morning for consistent, accurate results, as hydration differences can affect body composition readings.

Recap: Dr. Gundry’s Holiday THRIVE Guide Tips

• Set clear, healthy intentions before and after parties.
• Create a food “identity” for yourself and stick to it—say “I don’t” rather than “I can’t.”
• Eat before events to reduce temptation: go for nuts, avocado, and fiber-rich snacks.
• Smartly fill your plate: 75% veggies, 25% protein or indulgence.
• Bring a healthy, unique dish to share.
• Use blue-blocking glasses and avoid sleeping on a full stomach.
• Take Vitamin D3 and sugar-free Vitamin C for immune support.
• Choose food swaps: sweet potato for potato/pumpkin, asparagus for green beans, homemade cranberry sauce!
• Drink wisely: opt for red wine or aged spirits, dilute drinks, and never drink and drive.
• Don’t let an indulgent meal spiral into a two-month binge—reset with your next meal or snack.

This episode empowers listeners to enter the holiday season with a toolkit for health, not deprivation—blending science, practical swaps, and a hefty dose of Dr. Gundry’s signature encouragement and humor.