The 7-Day Reset I Use With My Clients (And Myself) After the Holidays

If you are coming off the holidays feeling sluggish, bloated, low-energy, or just off… you are not broken.

You do not need a detox.
You do not need a cleanse.
You definitely do not need to punish yourself with something extreme.

What you actually need is a reset that is simple, repeatable, and realistic for real life.

This is the exact seven-day reset I coach my clients through every year after the holidays. It is also the one I use myself. It is designed for busy adults over 40 who want to feel better fast without falling back into the all-or-nothing cycle.

Let’s walk through it step by step.

Why Most “Resets” Fail

When most people think about resetting after the holidays, their mind immediately goes to extremes.

What detox should I do?
What cleanse will fix this?
Should I do 75 Hard or something equally miserable?

That mindset sends you in the wrong direction right away.

Those approaches set the bar so high that failure is almost guaranteed. Then when you fall off, it reinforces the belief that you cannot stick to anything.

That is the cycle we are cutting off here.

A good reset should:
• Be simple
• Be scalable
• Be easy to repeat
• Build momentum instead of draining it

That is exactly what this does.

The Structure of the 7-Day Reset

This reset runs Monday through Sunday.

Every day, you focus on:
• One movement goal
• One nutrition goal

That’s it.

No calorie tracking.
No perfection.
No punishment.

The goal is consistency and awareness, not suffering.

Step 1: Move Every Day for 20 Minutes

The first piece of this reset is movement.

Every single day, you move for 20 minutes.

That is not 20 minutes of crushing workouts.
That is not an hour in the gym.
That is not “all or nothing.”

It is simply 20 minutes of intentional movement.

If you cannot do 20 minutes straight, break it up:
• 10 minutes in the morning
• 5 minutes mid-day
• 5 minutes later

Walking counts.
Bodyweight exercises count.
Exercise snacks count.

This is especially important for people with demanding lives. New parents. People with high-stress jobs. Anyone who cannot realistically carve out an hour.

I am living this myself right now. I have a 10-week-old bernedoodle at home. Potty training is in full swing. Long workouts are not always realistic.

That does not mean movement stops.

You find a way to check the box.

Why This Matters More Than You Think

Getting movement in daily does a few powerful things:

• It improves digestion
• It increases energy
• It reinforces the identity of someone who takes care of themselves

When you move, you feel better.

When you feel better, you make better food choices.

That identity shift matters. Fit people move. Fit people eat well. Fit people prioritize how they feel.

This one habit starts that chain reaction.

Step 2: Use Nutrition to Support Energy, Not Restrict It

The second piece of the reset is nutrition.

Specifically, the PFC method.

PFC stands for:
• Protein
• Fiber
• Color

This is the foundation I teach every client, both in person and online.

During the reset, I want you to keep it simple.

If you are brand new to this, start with just one component.

Start With Protein

Protein is the easiest place to begin.

Every meal, aim for a solid protein source.

A simple guideline I use is the zero rule.

Take the grams of protein in a food and add a zero. That should roughly match the calories or be less.

Example:
20 grams of protein → about 200 calories or less

That helps you identify lean protein sources quickly.

Most people should aim for around 30 grams of protein per meal, give or take a bit. If you go over, that is not a problem. Protein is very filling and incredibly helpful for appetite control and energy stability.

If you eat plant-based, vegetarian, or vegan, this rule does not always apply the same way. Those approaches often come with higher fiber naturally, which changes the equation.

The key point is this:
Eat enough protein so you are not starving all day.

When protein is adequate:
• Hunger becomes manageable
• Energy stays steady
• Food decisions get easier

Then Add Fiber

Once protein feels solid, fiber is the next layer.

Most people who do well with protein are severely under-eating fiber.

Fiber matters for:
• Digestive health
• Blood sugar stability
• Fullness
• Long-term health

For most people without medical conditions that limit fiber, a good target is roughly 25 to 35 grams per day from food.

Here are the main food categories where fiber comes from:
• Whole grains
• Legumes like beans and lentils
• Nuts and seeds
• Fruit
• Vegetables

Not all fiber sources are equal.

Leafy greens are great, but they actually do not provide much fiber relative to volume. Fruits like berries can pack a surprising amount of fiber into a small serving.

Beans and lentils are an absolute cheat code.

Nuts and seeds are useful but should be portioned intentionally since they are calorie dense.

Then Add Color

Color simply means fruits and vegetables.

They provide vitamins and minerals that many people are low on, especially after weeks of convenience foods and holiday eating.

When you bring these foods back in consistently, energy often improves fast. People describe feeling like their battery is full again.

That is not magic. That is your body finally getting what it needs.

How to Apply PFC During the Reset

You have options here.

If you are new:
• Pick one component and hit it consistently for seven days

If you are experienced:
• Aim for full PFC meals three times per day

If you use intermittent fasting:
• Fit three PFC meals into your eating window

The goal is not perfection. The goal is seven out of seven days so you can see where things break down.

Which meals are hardest?
Which days fall apart?
What keeps getting in the way?

That information is gold.

Practical Examples From Real Life

Lunch is a major struggle for many people.

One of the easiest solutions is prep.

Not fancy prep. Simple prep.

Have one or two go-to lunches ready to go. Even cooking ingredients instead of full meals helps.

Before recording this episode, I prepped my own lunch for multiple days. Chicken quesadillas using a high-fiber wrap, peppers, and black beans.

Protein. Fiber. Color.

That one decision makes the next few days easier.

If you need something fast:
• A protein shake with fruit and fiber
• A protein bar that sits well
• Protein plus fruit on the go

This beats skipping meals, getting ravenous, and grabbing whatever is nearby later.

What This Reset Is Really About

This seven-day reset is not about weight loss.

Weight changes may happen, but that is not the main goal.

The real purpose is to:
• Restore energy
• Improve digestion
• Rebuild consistency
• Identify roadblocks

You are collecting data about your life, not judging yourself.

Once you see where things break down, you can solve the right problems instead of guessing.

Final Thoughts

You do not need to suffer to get back on track.

You need a plan that works when life is busy, imperfect, and stressful.

Move every day.
Eat in a way that supports energy.
Build momentum instead of chasing extremes.

That is how progress actually sticks.

If you want help implementing this, I put together a Fit40 Starter Kit with:
• A seven-day reset calendar
• Follow-along workouts
• A PFC cheat sheet
• PFC recipes

Use the reset. Learn from it. Adjust forward.

That is how you win long term.

Want This Reset Laid Out For You?

If you’re reading this thinking,
“Okay… I get it. I just need something simple to follow.”

That’s exactly why I put together the FIT40 Starter Kit.

Inside, you’ll get:
• A 7 Day Reset Calendar so you know exactly what to do each day
• Follow-along workouts you can do at home, even on busy days
• My PFC Cheat Sheet to make food decisions easy
• 20 PFC recipes that are simple, filling, and realistic for real life

No extremes.
No guesswork.
Just a clear starting point to help you feel better fast and build momentum.

👉 Download the FIT40 Starter Kit and start your reset today.